Four jailed for smuggling cocaine through Seme border

The Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced two Beninese nationals and two Nigerians to five years in prison each for smuggling over 5.6 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria.

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa handed down the sentence on Fanou Mireille (aka Fanoun Mireille), Noudeha Hilda (both from Benin Republic), Akande Olayemi (aka Akande Olayemi Babatunde), and Luadun Fadekemi, after they pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges brought against them by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The NDLEA arraigned the four on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, trafficking, and unlawful possession of cocaine, following their arrest at the Seme Border in Badagry, Lagos, on June 2, 2025. The seized cocaine had an estimated street value of N89.9 million.

Prosecuting counsel Aondover Yuanyam told the court the defendants acted alongside others still at large. He tendered evidence, including the bulk of the cocaine, and urged the court to convict them based on their confessions and the weight of evidence. He noted the seriousness of the offence, citing cocaine as a Class A drug and emphasizing the large quantity involved.

Defence lawyer Emmanuel Okenyi pleaded for leniency, describing the convicts as first-time offenders who showed remorse and cooperated fully by pleading guilty. He asked the court to consider a non-custodial sentence.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa, after considering both sides, sentenced each defendant to five years in prison on each count but gave them an option of paying a fine of N1 million each instead of serving jail time.