Judge Ibrahim Ahmad Kala of the Federal High Court in Lagos has mandated the ultimate seizure of a high-end property, cars, and electronic devices suspected to be assets gained from illegal drug trade.
The case followed a request submitted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), which linked the assets to a drug gang headed by a wanted criminal known as Noble Phillips.
The confiscated property consists of a five-story building that is currently under construction, situated at No. 16 Waziri Ibrahim Street, off Elsie Femi Pearse Road, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The residence, reportedly hidden as a hotel, served as a hub for the drug trafficking organization.
Additionally surrendered were five vehicles: a blue Toyota Sienna (KJA 79 HJ), a white Volkswagen delivery van (AAA 525 JE), an ash-colored Kia Cerato (BOG 860 6Q), a black Land Cruiser Prado (AKD 472 DZ), and a red Grand Caravan Dodge (APP 847 YF).
The court also mandated the seizure of 13 refrigerators, 70 air conditioners, and 84 television sets that were found on the premises.
The legal representative of the NDLEA, Buhari Abdulahi, introduced a motion supported by constitutional and legal frameworks, such as the NDLEA Act and the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022.
He claimed that the listed characteristics were either employed in or originated from drug-related operations, referencing monitoring, raids, and detentions carried out by the organization.
In a sworn statement provided by Nasir Garba Bungudu, the NDLEA Deputy Commander for Narcotics, the agency revealed that information was obtained in April 2025 regarding a drug trafficking group engaged in the extensive importation and distribution of "Canadian Loud," a strong type of cannabis sativa.
"After several weeks of monitoring, the NDLEA discovered the syndicate's headquarters located at No. 16 Waziri Ibrahim Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, which was found to be a five-story building almost finished with 80 rooms planned for hotel purposes," the affidavit mentioned.
The property was allegedly owned by Noble Phillips, who the NDLEA identified as the head of the cartel.
On April 25, 2025, during a raid, the agency seized 586 packages of Canadian Loud totaling 415.5 kilograms and worth more than N1 billion.
Despite claims that Phillips managed to flee during the operation, multiple people were taken into custody on-site, among them Ayitu Eze, a prominent cartel associate who was disguised as a hotel receptionist.
Eze was eventually brought to trial and found guilty of illegally possessing and distributing the 415.5kg shipment of narcotics.
After entering a guilty plea, Eze received a sentence on July 2, 2025, of five years in prison, with the possibility of a N1 million penalty and six months of community service, under Case No. FHC/L/541c/2025.
As per the NDLEA, additional inspections of the location and Phillips' apartment on the property uncovered more amounts of cannabis, land title papers with his name, and his ECOWAS international passport.
A distinct shipment of the drug was found in one of the hotel rooms occupied by a wanted associate of the gang leader, according to NDLEA.
NDLEA stated that a court order was previously issued on May 8, 2025, to safeguard the assets until the final seizure is determined.
In accordance with the instruction, the agency released an announcement in the Daily Sun newspaper on May 19, calling for submissions from third parties or individuals who have a legal stake in the property or items.
"The NDLEA representative informed the court that no such allegations were raised during the specified timeframe," said the legal advisor.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
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