Court orders final forfeiture of Lekki property linked to drug syndicate

Court orders final forfeiture of Lekki property linked to drug syndicate

Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the permanent forfeiture of a four-bedroom duplex in Lekki Phase 1 to the Federal Government, following revelations that the property was used as a base for drug trafficking operations.

The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, followed an application by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), which disclosed that the property—located at Block 11, House 2, Mobolaji Johnson Estate—was acquired and used by a suspected drug kingpin, Adebanjo, who is currently residing in Canada.

Counsel to the NDLEA, Mr. Buhari Abdulahi, told the court that the house served as the operational hub for the trafficking of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis sativa, into Nigeria. He said the property was used for the storage, distribution, and sale of the illicit substance.

The court had earlier granted an interim forfeiture order on March 20, 2024, and directed that details of the property be published in national dailies to allow any interested parties to contest the forfeiture. Notices were subsequently published in the Daily Sun on May 20, 2024, and in the Vanguard on August 1, 2025. However, no claims were made.

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Abdulahi urged the court to grant a final forfeiture order under the NDLEA Act, which empowers the judiciary to confiscate assets linked to drug-related offences. Justice Owoeye, in his ruling, described the property and its contents as instruments used in committing drug crimes and affirmed that due process had been followed.

An affidavit filed by Deputy Commander of Narcotics, Nasir Garba Bungudu, revealed that the NDLEA received intelligence in 2023 about a syndicate smuggling Canadian Loud into Nigeria. Surveillance led operatives to the Lekki property, which was raided on February 5, 2023. During the operation, 1.088 kilograms of the drug were recovered and five suspects were arrested.

Four of the suspects—Tijani Hakeem, Eric Makuo, Adaobi Fortune, and Ahmed Jubril—were convicted in Charge No. FHC/L/122C/2023 after pleading guilty. The fifth suspect, Ekwejunor Oritsematosan, is still facing trial alongside Femaffix Global Services Limited in a related case.

Investigations also revealed that Adebanjo used a front company to launder proceeds from the drug trade and purchased the property to accommodate his associates and coordinate operations. Since the property was sealed, neither Adebanjo nor any representative has come forward to claim ownership.

Justice Owoeye concluded that the property was acquired and maintained with proceeds of crime and ruled that it be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

“The court is satisfied that due process has been followed,” the judge declared. “Accordingly, the property and its contents are hereby forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

Court orders final forfeiture of Lekki property linked to drug syndicate