The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Oyo State Command, has arraigned two suspected drug traffickers before the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan over the alleged unlawful transportation and possession of psychotropic substances.
The suspects, Babatunde Awoyemi, aged 63, and Banke Adigun, aged 50, were brought before the court on a four-count charge bordering on alleged illegal dealing in narcotic and psychotropic substances.
According to the prosecution, the two defendants were found in possession of a quantity of controlled drugs said to include 770 grammes of Tramadol and 47 grammes of Rohypnol. The substances are classified as restricted drugs because of their potential for abuse and their effects on the human nervous system.
When the charges were read to them in court, both Awoyemi and Adigun pleaded not guilty, setting the stage for a legal contest over the allegations brought against them by the anti-narcotics agency.
Following their plea, the presiding judge, Justice Uche Agomoh, ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Facility pending further proceedings in the matter.
The court subsequently adjourned the case until April 27 for the hearing of their bail application and for continuation of the trial process.
Earlier during the proceedings, counsel for the prosecution, Mrs. R. O. Ige, informed the court that the defendants were allegedly apprehended by operatives of the NDLEA while transporting the substances along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Oyo State.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offence was committed on December 8, 2025, when the agency’s operatives intercepted the suspects during an operation and reportedly recovered a sack containing the prohibited substances.
The prosecutor told the court that the seized drugs are categorised as psychotropic substances and are subject to strict regulation under Nigerian law because of their abuse potential and harmful effects on public health and safety.
She argued that the quantity and nature of the recovered substances raised serious concerns and justified the prosecution of the defendants under the relevant provisions of the law.
The NDLEA maintained that the case forms part of its broader efforts to combat the circulation and trafficking of illicit drugs and controlled pharmaceutical substances, which continue to pose major risks to communities, especially young people.
Drug abuse and illegal distribution of prescription and synthetic substances such as Tramadol have remained a growing concern across the country, with anti-narcotics authorities repeatedly warning about the devastating social, medical, and security consequences associated with their misuse.
Tramadol, though medically prescribed in controlled doses for pain management, has become one of the most abused pharmaceutical drugs in Nigeria due to its stimulant and euphoric effects when taken outside approved dosage. Its abuse has often been linked to addiction, mental health problems, criminal behaviour, and other serious public health concerns.
Rohypnol, also a highly controlled sedative, is similarly regarded as a dangerous substance when used unlawfully or without medical supervision. Authorities say the illegal possession and movement of such substances remain a major focus of ongoing enforcement operations.
The arraignment of the two suspects in Ibadan reflects the continued clampdown by the NDLEA on individuals and networks allegedly involved in the movement and distribution of prohibited substances within and across states.
With the defendants now in custody and the matter before the court, attention will turn to the next stage of the proceedings, where arguments on bail and the substance of the charges are expected to be heard.
The case is likely to test the prosecution’s evidence as well as the defence’s response to the allegations, as the court begins to examine the circumstances surrounding the arrest and the recovery of the substances.
For now, both defendants remain in custody pending the court’s decision on their bail request.
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