A Federal High Court has convicted a Lagos businessman, Ajewole Ayo Joel, for his involvement in the importation of 779.10 kilogrammes of Tapentadol Royal into Nigeria.
Ajewole was convicted on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to a six-count charge filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. The charge stemmed from the unlawful importation of the drug from India into Nigeria.
The trial judge, Justice Musa Kakaki, however, adjourned the matter until 24 February 2026 to pronounce sentence on the convict.
The court also fixed the same date for the commencement of trial of the first defendant, an Indian national, Gupta Ravi Kumar, who pleaded not guilty to all six counts.
Both defendants were re-arraigned before the court to enable their pleas to be retaken. While Gupta Ravi Kumar denied the allegations, Ajewole Ayo Joel admitted guilt. Counsel to the convict, Mr Tunde Adeoye, SAN, raised no objection to the plea.
While reviewing the facts of the case, the NDLEA prosecutor tendered seven exhibits before the court. These included the convict’s mobile phone, two extracts from the phone, three airway bills used for the shipment of the drugs, Ajewole’s statement, five drug analysis tests and five drug analysis results.
According to the charge, Ajewole Ayo Joel and Gupta Ravi Kumar, both adults, on or about 11 September 2025, conspired with one Sumit Rekhit of Flexi World Logistics, Gurugram, India, to import 779.10 kilogrammes of Tapentadol Royal 225mg, a brand of Tramadol. The drug was described as a narcotic analgesic with effects similar to cocaine, LSD and heroin. The consignment was allegedly imported using Airway Bill No. 071-58233792.
The defendants were also accused of conspiring to import an additional 811.30 kilogrammes of Tapentadol Super Royal 200mg, another brand of Tramadol, through the same logistics network.
The charge further stated that during the examination of cargo on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from India to Nigeria at the Skyway Handling Company (SAHCO) Import Shed, a customs area of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, the defendants procured one Ogunlana Akeem of Akman Global Investment & Logistics, who is currently at large, to facilitate the importation of the 779.10 kilogrammes of Tapentadol Royal 225mg.
The offences were said to be contrary to and punishable under Sections 11(a), 14(b) and 21(2) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.