Two middle-aged women, Helen Ese Idiji, 40-year old mother of two and Sa’adullah Rashidat, a 53-year old landlady have been convicted by A federal High Court sitting in Lagos for their involvement of dealing and storing cannabis sativa (marijuana) weighing 28.8 kilograms.
The defendants, after pleading guilty to the charges levied against them by the NDLEA, were convicted by Justice Friday Ogazi.
The charge was marked FHC/L/CR/544/2026.
It was revealed that the offences contravene Sections 14(b), 11(c) and 12 of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and are punishable under the same law.
According to the prosecution, led by Juliana Negedu, the defendants were arrested on the 25th of June 2025, at No. 15 Olumoko Street, Amukoko, Lagos with the illicit substance stored in the property which was found to belong to Rashidat.
The first defendant, Helen was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and unlawful dealing in the banned substance, while the second defendant, Rashidat faced similar counts linked to conspiracy and storage of the drug.
Their guilty pleas were followed by a tendering of the recovered drugs and other materials by evidence keeper, Ogah Aliyu Mohammed, which were admitted without objection.
Meanwhile, in consideration of the fact that the defendants were first-time offenders with no previous criminal records, the defense counsel, Dennis Warri, appealed for leniency, adding that the defendants were remorseful and acknowledged their wrong doing.
Resulting from the previously inexistent criminal records of the defendants, Justice Ogazi convicted them accordingly, ordered their reprimansion at a Nigerian Correctional Service facility. The case was as also adjourned by the Court until September 2, 2026, for sentencing.