Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Lagos has cautioned and discharged a woman, Isoken Arigbe, on compassionate and health grounds after she was convicted for unlawful possession of 66 grams of methamphetamine.
Arigbe was arrested on May 23, 2025, at the Lekki Gardens Phase 2 Junction in the Ajah area of Lagos State.
She was charged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and later pleaded guilty to the one-count charge brought against her.
At Tuesday’s court session, NDLEA prosecutor, Mr. A.G. Yuanyuam, informed the court that Arigbe was found in possession of methamphetamine—a controlled substance similar to cocaine and heroin—without lawful authorization.
He stated that the offence violated Section 19 of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (as amended).
Following her guilty plea, the prosecutor presented supporting documents and exhibits and urged the court to convict her in accordance with Section 356(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. Justice Osiagor accordingly convicted Arigbe as charged.
Subsequently, the prosecution requested the final forfeiture of N534,569.16 found in Arigbe’s bank accounts, which was believed to be proceeds from the illegal activity.
The court granted the request, ordering the funds forfeited to the Federal Government.
In a plea for leniency (allocutus), Arigbe’s counsel, Mr. C.J. Robert, from the chambers of Uche Okoronkwo, appealed to the court to consider her as a first-time offender who had shown genuine remorse and cooperated with authorities by pleading guilty promptly.
He also drew the court’s attention to her deteriorating health, citing medical reports from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital that detailed serious conditions including abdominal complications and an enlarged heart.
Taking her medical condition into account, Justice Osiagor opted against a custodial sentence.
Instead, he cautioned and discharged the convict, advising her to prioritize her health and warning her against future criminal conduct.
Despite the leniency, the judge reaffirmed the order for the forfeiture of the N534,569.16 to the Federal Government.