A Lagos court sentences socialite Funmilola Ogbuaya, aka Ariket, over cocaine export to Saudi Arabia, detailing how the case unfolded from airport arrest to conviction
Lagos Socialite Ariket Sentenced for Cocaine Export to Saudi Arabia
A Lagos-based socialite, Funmilola Arike Ogbuaya, widely known as Ariket, has been sentenced to 45 years’ imprisonment for the unlawful exportation of 1.595 kilograms of cocaine to Saudi Arabia.
The judgment was delivered by the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, where Justice Dehinde Dipeolu found her guilty on all charges.
Justice Dipeolu handed down a 15-year sentence on each of the three counts—conspiracy, possession, and illegal exportation of cocaine.
However, the court ruled that the sentences would run concurrently, meaning Ogbuaya will serve an effective 15-year term starting from May 19, 2017, the date of her arrest.
The case (FHC/L/124C/2017) stemmed from the arrest of Ogbuaya’s co-defendant, Odeyemi Omolara, also known as Ariyo Monsurat Olabisi, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on February 23, 2017.
During interrogation, Omolara reportedly implicated Ogbuaya as the supplier of the cocaine intended for export.
Omolara had earlier pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment by Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari, now of the Court of Appeal.
Prosecution witnesses painted a vivid picture of the events leading to the arrest.
One witness, Iyabode Shonibare, told the court that Omolara raised an alarm upon being apprehended, shouting: “Arike has k!lled me.”
Another witness confirmed that Omolara consistently maintained that Ogbuaya handed her the bag containing the illicit substance.
A security guard at Ogbuaya’s residence, identified as Aliyu, testified that Omolara had visited the house a day before her arrest and spent the night. He added that unknown individuals had earlier delivered the same bag later used for the drug exportation, and that Ogbuaya personally drove Omolara to the airport.
In her defence, Ogbuaya admitted knowing Omolara but denied involvement in drug trafficking.
She claimed Omolara only visited her to seek financial help and that she gave her ₦10,000. She also acknowledged dropping her at the airport while heading to Ajase in the Republic of Benin, insisting she had no knowledge of the drugs.
Despite pleas from her counsel, Yakubu Galadima, who urged the court to show leniency on grounds that she is a first-time offender with dependents, the court upheld the conviction.
After reviewing the evidence, Justice Dipeolu found Ogbuaya guilty on all three counts, bringing the high-profile drug trafficking case to a close.
The ruling underscores Nigeria’s continued crackdown on international drug trafficking networks operating through its airports.
