A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has sentenced Hounsou Chegoun, a citizen of Benin Republic, to two years in prison for trafficking nearly two tonnes of cannabis — a major win in Nigeria’s maritime drug war.
Chegoun, arrested on December 24, 2024, was caught with 1,960 kilograms of cannabis sativa by the NDLEA’s Special Marine Unit. He wasn’t alone — three other Beninese nationals and two Ghanaians were picked up in the same sting operation, hinting at a possible transnational smuggling network.
At the hearing on Tuesday, NDLEA prosecutor Chidinma Izuagba laid out the charges. When the counts were read, Chegoun didn’t deny the allegations — he pleaded guilty, his head bowed, owning up to all three charges.
His lawyer, Godwin Okaka, tried to sway the court with a plea for leniency. He painted Chegoun as a remorseful first-time offender, suggesting that a fine might suffice.
But Justice Musa Kakaki was unsparing.
“This is not a slap-on-the-wrist kind of crime,” the judge declared. “The quantity of drugs involved is staggering. Had it not been intercepted, the damage would have been immense — especially to Nigerian youth.”
He emphasized that Nigeria’s fight against drug trafficking — especially via its waterways — must remain relentless, warning that crimes of such scale cannot be overlooked.
The court convicted Chegoun and sentenced him to two years imprisonment without the option of a fine — a clear signal to traffickers that the Nigerian coastline is being watched.
With seizures like this and more regional collaborations, Nigeria is reaffirming its stance: the days of quiet, unchecked drug smuggling may be numbered.
