The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said it is unable to independently confirm whether convicted drug offender, Ajetsibo Emami, popularly known as “Warri Kinsman”, paid the ₦50 million fine imposed on him by the Federal High Court or remains in custody serving his sentence.
The agency made the disclosure in response to an enquiry by TheScrutinyNG seeking clarification on Emami’s current status following his conviction in a drug trafficking case.
Some sources who followed the development had claimed Ajetsibo, who is the younger brother of Ayiri Emami, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been secretly released.
Although the NDLEA confirmed that Emami was arrested, prosecuted and convicted by the Federal High Court in Lagos, it said it could not verify whether the option of fine contained in the judgment was exercised or whether he was subsequently released.
In its response signed by Ezinne on behalf of the NDLEA Call Centre Management Team, the agency stated:
“With respect to your specific questions concerning whether the fine was subsequently paid, whether he remains in custody or was released pursuant to the payment of the fine, the precise status of the exhibits and proceeds of crime, and whether there were any developments following the judgment, the NDLEA Call Centre is unable to independently confirm those details from the information presently available to us.”
The response came amid public interest in the implementation of the court’s judgment and speculation surrounding Emami’s current whereabouts.
The NDLEA, however, confirmed that Emami was arrested in Ikeja, Lagos, on June 28, 2025, during an intelligence-led operation in which 24 jumbo bags containing 681 pouches of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 414.2 kilogrammes, were recovered.
According to the agency, he was arraigned before the Federal High Court, Lagos, in Charge No. FHC/L/636C/2025, where he was convicted on a one-count charge relating to dealing in illicit drugs.
The court, it added, sentenced him on August 18, 2025, to six years’ imprisonment with an option of a ₦50 million fine.
Responding to allegations circulating in some quarters that Emami may have received preferential treatment because of alleged family or political connections, the agency said it could neither confirm nor deny such claims.
It stated that such allegations should not be regarded as established facts without credible evidence and proper verification.
“Similarly, allegations of preferential treatment or interference based on family or political connections should not be treated as established facts without evidence and appropriate verification. The Call Centre is therefore unable to confirm or deny such allegations on the basis of media reports or unverified claims,” the response added.
The NDLEA advised that enquiries relating to Emami’s present custodial status, compliance with the court’s sentence, disposal of exhibits or any subsequent legal developments should be directed to the agency’s legal and operational authorities or the Federal High Court registry that handled the matter.
The response leaves unresolved the question of whether the sentence imposed by the court has been fully executed, with the agency’s call centre saying it does not have information to independently verify the current status of the convicted offender.
