Akeem Nafiu 
A forensic analyst with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Felicia Afolabi, has confirmed the seizure of N8.8 billion worth of Tramadol from a Lagos-based billionaire drug barron Nsofor Kennedy Ugochukwu, a.k.a Ugochukwu Nsofor Chukwukadibia, by operatives of the agency. Afolabi made the disclosure while testifying in the ongoing trial of Kennedy over alleged illegal possession and storage of 5,340 kg of Tramadol, a substance similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD, at a Federal High Court in Lagos. In her evidence, the witness told the trial judge, Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, that three categories of exhibits were sent to her office for analysis. She said the exhibits were in three categories of 225 grams, 250 grams and 225 grams of Tramadol samples. Afolabi told the court that when the exhibits were analyzed, they were found to contain Tramadol, a banned substance.
The witness further disclosed that upon the conclusion of her assignment, she wrote her report and forwarded it to the exhibit officer Further hearing in the matter has been adjourned to September 29, 2023 for continuation of trial. It would be recalled that the de- fendant who is the Chairman of Autonation Motors Ltd was arraigned before the court sometimes in November 2022 by the NDLEA on a 3-count charge of alleged illegal possession and storage of 5,340 kg of Tramadol.
He however pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of N100 million with one surety in like sum by the trial judge. One of the counts against the de- fendant reads: “That you Nsofor Ken- nedy Ugochukwu a.k.a. Ugochukwu Nsofor Chukwukadibia, male, adult, Nigerian citizen of Plot Z – 130, Road 67 VGC Housing Estate, Lagos, on or about September 30, 2022 at about 1400 hrs within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without law- ful authority caused the premises at Plot A45 Road 2, being the owner of same at same VGC Housing Estate to be used for purpose of storing 5,340 kilogrammes of Tramadol, a substance similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punish- able under Section 12 of the Nation- al Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act CAP N30 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004 ( as amended)”.
