A Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday, admitted Osakwe Evbuomwan, who is charged with exporting 1.55kg of tramadol to bail in the sum of N50 million.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) charged Mr Evbuomwan with drug trafficking.

In his ruling, Justice Lweis Allagoa stated that the defendant has shown that he would attend his trial, and admitted him on bail, while ordering that he produce two sureties in like sum.

He held that the sureties must be owners of verifiable landed properties within the court’s jurisdiction and a GL15 Civil Servant, and adjourned the case until February 18 for trial.

Earlier, the NDLEA Counsel, Augustine Nwagu, opposed the bail application filed on behalf of the defendant by his counsel, Benson Ndakara, on grounds that investigations were still ongoing.

The NDLEA alleged that the defendant  committed the offence on December 18, 2021, at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport.

He said the defendant was arrested at the gate ‘C’ departure hall of the Airport, during the outward clearance of passengers onboard an Ethiopian Airline flight.

The prosecutor said that the volume of tramadol weighing 1.55kg, was recovered from the defendant during the clearance.

The offence, he said, contravenes the provisions of Section 20(1) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation 2004, which provides for a penalty of life imprisonment if convicted. 

(NAN)