Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Lagos has cautioned and discharged a woman, Isoken Arigbe, on compassionate grounds following her conviction for unlawful possession of 66 grams of methamphetamine.
Arigbe was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and pleaded guilty to a one-count charge. She was arrested on May 23, 2025, at Lekki Gardens Phase 2 Junction in Ajah, Lagos.
NDLEA prosecutor, Mr. A.G. Yuanyuam, told the court that Arigbe was found in possession of the illegal substance without lawful authority, an offence contrary to Section 19 of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Following her guilty plea, the prosecutor reviewed the facts of the case and tendered evidence, urging the court to convict Arigbe under Section 356(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
Justice Osiagor convicted her as charged and granted the prosecution’s application for the forfeiture of N534,569.16 in her bank accounts, believed to be proceeds of the drug offence, to the Federal Government.
During the plea for leniency, defence counsel Mr. C.J. Robert informed the court that Arigbe was a first-time offender who had cooperated fully with the authorities. He also submitted medical reports from Lagos University Teaching Hospital detailing serious health issues, including abdominal complications and an enlarged heart.
Taking her health condition into account, Justice Osiagor declined to impose a custodial sentence. Instead, he cautioned and discharged her, advising her to focus on her health and refrain from further illegal activities.
