A 41-year-old Canadian woman, Adrienne Munju, has been convicted and sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Lagos for importing 74 parcels of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of synthetic cannabis, weighing 35.20 kilograms, into Nigeria.
Munju’s conviction followed her arraignment on a two-count charge before Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Lagos. The case was brought by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), which apprehended Munju on 3rd October 2024 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos. She was arrested during the inward clearance of passengers arriving on a KLM flight at the ‘D’ Arrival Hall of the airport.
Upon her arrest, Munju admitted that she had been recruited through an online platform to traffic the illegal consignment, promising her 10,000 Canadian dollars for a successful delivery in Lagos. She claimed that she accepted the offer as she needed the funds to continue her master’s degree programme in Canada.
Justice Dipeolu handed down the sentence after Munju pleaded guilty to the charges brought by the NDLEA.
Prosecuting Counsel Barrister Abu Ibrahim argued that Munju’s actions contravened Sections 20(1)(a) and 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and were punishable under Section 20(2)(a) of the same Act.
Following her guilty plea, the prosecution presented evidence, including testimony from Angela Mba, an Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics, who detailed Munju’s arrest. Key exhibits submitted in court included two suitcases used to conceal the drugs, Munju’s Canadian passport, her confessional statements, laboratory analysis reports, and samples of the seized cannabis. These exhibits were accepted as evidence in the case.
After the prosecution’s presentation, Justice Dipeolu reviewed the facts and convicted Munju as charged. In the sentencing, Munju received six years’ imprisonment on the first count and five years on the second count, to run consecutively. However, the judge also offered an option of a fine, setting it at N50 million for each count, totalling N100 million.
Following the conviction, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers of the MMIA Strategic Command for their efforts in apprehending and prosecuting Munju, as well as the judiciary for ensuring a swift resolution of the case. Marwa emphasised that the stringent sentence serves as a deterrent to other potential traffickers, cautioning that Nigeria will not tolerate attempts to import illicit drugs into the country.
