A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced a 41-year-old Canadian woman, Adrienne Munju, to 11 years in prison for importing 35.20 kilograms of synthetic cannabis, commonly known as “Canadian Loud,” into Nigeria. The court found Munju guilty of smuggling 74 parcels of the illicit drug through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The conviction was handed down by Justice Dehinde Dipeolu on Wednesday, following Munju’s arraignment by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on a two-count charge related to drug trafficking. Munju was arrested on October 3, 2024, while undergoing passenger clearance at the ‘D’ Arrival Hall of the airport after arriving on a KLM flight.
In a statement, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi explained that Munju confessed to being recruited through an online platform to smuggle the drugs into Nigeria in exchange for 10,000 Canadian dollars. She claimed that financial pressures, including the need to pay for her ongoing master’s degree in Canada, had driven her to accept the offer.
The NDLEA’s Prosecuting Counsel, Barrister Abu Ibrahim, presented evidence to the court that included the two suitcases used to conceal the drugs, Munju’s Canadian passport, her confessional statement, laboratory analysis reports, and samples of the seized drugs. These exhibits were admitted as evidence during the trial.
Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics Angela Mba testified on behalf of the prosecution, detailing Munju’s arrest and the subsequent investigation. Based on the overwhelming evidence and Munju’s guilty plea, the prosecution urged the court to convict her as charged.
After reviewing the case, Justice Dipeolu found Munju guilty on both counts. The court sentenced her to six years imprisonment on the first count and five years on the second, totaling 11 years behind bars. However, the judge gave her an option to pay a fine of N50 million for each count, amounting to a total fine of N100 million in lieu of imprisonment.
Munju’s conviction serves as a reminder of Nigeria’s stringent drug trafficking laws and the consequences for those caught violating them, particularly foreigners attempting to smuggle illicit substances into the country.
