LAGOS, NIGERIA — Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced a serial drug trafficker, Solomon Adegbite, to 15 years imprisonment without the option of a fine.
The conviction follows his attempt to smuggle 1.30 kilograms of high-potency Tramadol (225 mg) out of the country.
Adegbite, a 41-year-old Nigerian resident in Italy, pleaded guilty to a 15-count charge bordering on the illegal possession and trafficking of narcotics.
During the sentencing on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, Justice Kakaki handed down a 15-year term for the primary counts, with various other terms ranging from 4 to 10 years for the remaining counts, all to run concurrently.
In addition to the prison term, the court ordered the forfeiture of the convict’s Italian residence permit, his Nigerian international passport, a Samsung Galaxy A22, and assets related to his business, “Aderevico Pharmacy,” to the Federal Government.
The prosecution, led by NDLEA counsel, Juliana Imaobong Iroabuchi, vehemently opposed the defence’s plea for a fine.
Iroabuchi revealed to the court that Adegbite is an unrepentant offender, noting that this was his third arrest for drug-related crimes.
“Granting an option of fine would send the wrong signal to society. We must consider the victims of hard drugs and the fact that the defendant cleverly designed a winter jacket to evade airport security, “ Iroabuchi argued.“
The court heard that on July 22, 2025, during the outward clearance of passengers on a Royal Air Maroc flight to Italy at Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), NDLEA operatives discovered the drugs.
Adegbite had concealed the 1.30 kg of Tramadol within the lining of a thick winter jacket he was wearing to bypass detection.
The NDLEA also noted that during his arrest, Adegbite attempted to swap his valid Italian residence permit for an expired one in a bid to mislead officers.
Defence counsel, Mr Augustine Nwagu, had earlier pleaded for leniency, describing his client as a remorseful young man with numerous dependents.
However, citing the commercial value of the drugs and the defendant’s criminal history, Justice Kakaki ruled that a custodial sentence was necessary to serve as a deterrent.
The offence was prosecuted under Section 11(d) and Section 20(a)(c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
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