A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced five women to two years in prison each for the illegal importation of 6.96 kilograms of “Ghana loud,” a strong strain of cannabis sativa commonly referred to as marijuana.
The women convicted are Basirat Olarigbibe (also known as Basirat Feyisara Olaribigbe), Fatima Garuba (aka Fatima Ladidi Abogun), Amudalat Adekunle (aka Amudalat Ajetunmobi), Oloye Arafat Awele (aka Akanni Balikis Oluwatoyin), and Ademola Bola (also known as Tolulope Oluwaseun Osibeluwo or Tolulope Ademola).
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke found them guilty and sentenced them after they all pleaded guilty to six counts of conspiracy and unlawful importation, as charged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The NDLEA’s prosecuting counsel, Andover G. Yuanyam, informed the court that the women were arrested on August 21, 2024, at the Seme Border in Badagry Local Government Area, Lagos State.
Yuanyam reported that Olarigbibe possessed 1.54 kilograms of the drug, while Garuba and Adekunle had 1.47 kilograms and 1.52 kilograms, respectively. Awele and Bola were found with 1.53 kilograms and 900 grams, respectively. The prosecutor stated that their actions violated Sections 14 and 11(a) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (as amended).
After the women pleaded guilty, the prosecutor presented the case’s details and requested a sentence reflecting their guilty plea and the evidence. In contrast, the defense attorney, Oke Ojakovo, sought leniency from the court, emphasizing that all five women were first-time offenders and did not cause delays in the proceedings. He noted that two of the women are widows solely supporting their families and requested a non-custodial sentence or a fine.
After confirming their status as first-time offenders, Justice Aneke sentenced each woman to two years in prison, with the sentences to run concurrently. However, he also offered them the option of paying a N500,000 fine and completing 100 hours of community service in lieu of imprisonment.
