A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced 40-year-old Nollywood filmmaker Mbadiwe Emeka, to five years in prison for drug trafficking. The America-trained filmmaker was convicted on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, after pleading guilty to charges of unlawful importation of 17.30 kilograms of Canada Loud, a high-grade variant of Cannabis Sativa, classified as a narcotic drug.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa delivered the sentence after Emeka admitted to the two-count charge brought against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Prosecution counsel Abu Ibrahim told the court that Emeka was arrested on December 24, 2024, during the examination of an incoming cargo at the National Handling Company Import Shed, located at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos. The cargo, shipped from Houston, USA, was found to contain the illegal substance.
The prosecutor further revealed that Emeka had procured one Uzoekwe Ugochukwu James to assist in importing the narcotics. The offences contravened sections of the NDLEA Act, which prescribe penalties for illegal drug importation.
In court, Emeka’s lawyer, Dennis Warri, pleaded for leniency, citing his client’s remorse and cooperation with authorities. Warri highlighted Emeka’s early guilty plea as a sign of regret and requested either a non-custodial sentence or a fine.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa acknowledged the plea for leniency but emphasized the gravity of the crime. Emeka was sentenced to five years in prison or an option to pay a N3 million fine in lieu of the custodial sentence.
Additionally, the court ordered that the seized narcotics and an iPhone 12 Pro Max found in Emeka’s possession be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The sentencing marks the latest in NDLEA’s efforts to clamp down on drug trafficking at Nigeria’s major airports.
