Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced a cargo manager at Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO), Adakole Ogwuche, to three years in prison for theft and trafficking 25 kilograms of Ephedrine Hydrochloride, a controlled substance similar to cocaine and heroin.

Justice Kakaki handed down the verdict while delivering judgement on a two-count charge brought against Ogwuche by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after he pleaded guilty.

The prosecutor, Abu Ibrahim, had earlier informed the judge that the convict committed the crimes on April 28, 2025, at the NAHCO Import Shed, located in the Customs Area of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

Ibrahim had claimed that the convict unlawfully possessed the prohibited drug from NAHCO’s warehouse, which was imported by a pharmaceutical company, Vitabiotics Nigeria Limited.

During the proceedings, the convict confessed to stealing the drug from NAHCO’s warehouse and selling it for N15 million.

The prosecutor, while reviewing the facts of the case, stated that NDLEA’s investigations revealed that the convict kept the proceeds in his Opay account (7063622867) before transferring it to his Stanbic-IBTC Bank account (1023413552) for investment in a Money Market Fund due to mature in 30 days.

Based on his plea and the evidence presented, Ibrahim urged the court to convict and sentence him, and order the forfeiture of the N15 million proceeds.

However, the defence lawyer, Israel Effiong, appealed for leniency, citing various legal authorities.

Justice Kakaki sentenced Ogwuche to three years and two years in prison for the two counts, with the jail terms running concurrently.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of N13 million found in the bank account to the Nigerian government, and instructed Ogwuche to restitute N2 million, the remaining balance of the N15 million.