Court Jails Truck Driver Five Years Over 2.6-Ton Cannabis Haul in Lagos

In a decisive blow to the supply chains of narcotics syndicates in Nigeria, a 32-year-old truck driver, Oriyomi Ayesoro, has been convicted and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. The ruling, handed down by Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court, followed the defendant's guilty plea to a one-count charge of unlawful transportation of a staggering 2,647 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa.

According to reports from court proceedings, the massive shipment of illicit drugs—weighing more than 2.6 metric tons—was intercepted by vigilant operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) during a routine check. The sheer volume of the contraband underscores the sophisticated and highly organized nature of drug trafficking networks currently exploiting commercial logistics channels in Nigeria's economic capital.

Prosecuting counsel argued that the convict was a vital cog in the distribution machinery of a larger, syndicate-run network. By utilizing heavy-duty commercial vehicles, these syndicates routinely attempt to bypass interstate security checkpoints, hiding illicit substances beneath legitimate cargo to evade detection. The state's case was bolstered by forensic analysis confirming the nature of the substance and the driver's direct involvement in its transit.

Faced with overwhelming evidence presented by the anti-narcotics agency, Ayesoro pleaded guilty to the charge, opting not to prolong the trial. This swift admission of guilt paved the way for the prosecution to close its case and demand a sentence that would serve as a strong deterrent to other players in the illicit transport trade.