Canadian Jailed 11 Years for Smuggling Drugs into Nigeria

N100m Fine or 11 Years for Canadian Drug Trafficker

Munju pleaded guilty to the charges brought by the...

Canadian convicted of drug trafficking in Nigeria: Adrienne Munju faces 11 years or N100m fine. A major victory for NDLEA's anti-drug efforts.

A Canadian national, Adrienne Munju, 41, has been convicted of drug trafficking in Nigeria and handed an 11-year prison sentence.

On Wednesday, a Federal High Court in Lagos delivered the verdict, convicting Munju of smuggling 74 parcels of Canadian loud, a potent synthetic cannabis strain, into Nigeria. The seized parcels weighed a total of 35.20 kilograms.

Munju, a recent arrestee, faced a two-count charge in Lagos' Federal High Court, courtesy of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). Her journey to the courtroom began on October 3, when NDLEA officers apprehended her at Murtala Muhammed International Airport's Terminal 1. She was caught during the inward clearance of inbound passengers on a KLM flight.

Munju's defense? She claimed an online recruiter lured her into trafficking illicit drugs, promising a hefty sum of 10,000 Canadian dollars upon successful delivery in Lagos. Her motive? To fund her master's degree program in Canada. This isn't the first time NDLEA has made headlines for cracking down on drug trafficking. As Nigeria's chief anti-drug agency, they've been working tirelessly to eliminate the growing, processing, manufacturing, selling, exporting, and trafficking of hard drugs since their inception in 1989.

Adrienne Munju, a 41-year-old Canadian woman, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison by a Federal High Court in Lagos for importing 74 parcels of Canadian Loud, a potent synthetic cannabis strain weighing 35.20 kilograms, into Nigeria.

Munju pleaded guilty to the charges brought by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and was convicted accordingly. The prosecution, led by Abu Ibrahim, argued that Munju's actions violated sections 20(1)(a) and 19 of the NDLEA Act, which is punishable under Section 20(2)(a).

Justice Dipeolu handed down an 11-year sentence, divided into six years for count one and five years for count two. However, Munju has the option to pay a fine of N100 million (N50 million per count) instead of serving the prison term.

Sentence Breakdown:

Count One: 6 years imprisonment or N50 million fine

Count Two: 5 years imprisonment or N50 million fine

Total: 11 years imprisonment or N100 million fine

Munju was arrested on October 3, 2024, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retired), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), praised the officers and men of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Strategic Command for their role in apprehending and prosecuting Adrienne Munju, a Canadian national convicted of drug trafficking. He also commended the judiciary for swiftly resolving the case.

Marwa emphasized that the swift conviction and severe sentencing of Munju will serve as a potent deterrent to foreigners and others contemplating illicit drug smuggling into Nigeria. This decisive action demonstrates the NDLEA's commitment to combating drug trafficking and maintaining national security.