A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced a 41-year-old Canadian woman, Adrienne Munju, to 11 years in prison for importing synthetic cannabis into Nigeria. Munju was found guilty of bringing 74 parcels of “Canadian Loud,” a potent form of cannabis, weighing 35.20 kilograms into the country.
The court’s decision was announced on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. According to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Munju was arrested earlier this month at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. She was apprehended during a routine passenger check upon arriving on a KLM flight on October 3, 2024.
In her confession, Munju revealed that she had been recruited online to smuggle the drugs in exchange for 10,000 Canadian dollars. She claimed that financial pressures related to her master’s degree program in Canada pushed her to accept the offer.
Munju was arraigned on a two-count charge by the NDLEA, and she pleaded guilty. During the trial, Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics, Angela Mba, testified, presenting evidence, including the suitcases used to conceal the drugs and Munju’s passport. The court accepted these items as part of the prosecution’s evidence.
Justice Dehinde Dipeolu sentenced Munju to six years for the first charge and five years for the second, with the option of a fine of N50 million for each count, totaling N100 million. The charges against Munju are based on sections of the NDLEA Act that prohibit the importation of illicit drugs into Nigeria.
NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the swift legal process and issued a warning to others thinking of smuggling drugs into Nigeria. He emphasized that the agency remains committed to fighting drug trafficking and ensuring justice is served.
This case serves as a reminder of the risks and severe penalties associated with drug trafficking in Nigeria.
