A 50-year-old woman, Halima Abdulahi, has been sentenced to one year imprisonment or an option of a N500,000 fine for unlawful possession of tramadol.

 

Halima was sentenced Thursday, Oct. 23, at the Federal High Court, in Lagos.

 

Justice Ibrahim Kala convicted Abdulahi after she pleaded guilty to a count charge filed against her by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

 

According to the charge, Halima was arrested on October 2, 2025, at the ECOWAS border post, Seme, Lagos State, with 50 packets of Tramadol weighing 4.6 kilograms and valued at N400,000.

 

During her arraignment, NDLEA prosecutor, Mr Chibuzor Ohanyere, informed the court of the pending charge and requested that it be read to her.

 

Abdulahi pleaded guilty after the charge was read.

 

Following her plea, Ohanyere reviewed the facts of the case and tendered relevant exhibits in evidence.

 

He urged the court to convict Abdulahi based on the strength of the evidence and in accordance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act

 

In the absence of any objection from the defence, Justice Kala found Abdulahi guilty as charged.

 

Defence counsel, Mrs. Vivian Ekwegh, pleaded for leniency, describing the convict as a first-time offender who had shown remorse and saved the court’s time by pleading guilty.

 

Ekwegh added that her client acted out of ignorance, believing Tramadol to be the same as Paracetamol.

 

In his judgment, Justice Kala sentenced Abdulahi to one year imprisonment with an option of a N500,000 fine and directed that she also serve 30 days of community service.