Drug dealers with presidency plate numbers jailed for 35 years

Two drug dealers arrested in Adamawa State in 2024 for transporting illicit substances in vehicles with fake presidency plate numbers have been sentenced to 35 years in prison each.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in collaboration with the military, intercepted the traffickers near the Numan Bridge with 626 blocks of cannabis weighing 500.8kg. The illegal drugs were hidden inside two tinted vehicles—a Toyota Hilux (Lagos NT 829 AAA) and a Prado SUV (01B-266 FG)—which were being transported from Ondo State to Mubi, Adamawa State.

The fake presidency plate numbers were meant to help the traffickers evade security checks, but they were apprehended, and both the vehicles and illicit substances were confiscated.

The culprits, Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (55) and Zidon Zurga (50), were arrested on November 25, 2024, along the Numan-Yola road. Following a legal process, they were tried before Justice Bala Usman of the Federal High Court, Yola, and on March 7, 2025, they were convicted and sentenced to 35 years in prison each.

Additionally, the court ordered the forfeiture of the two vehicles used for the drug trafficking operation.

Reacting to the verdict, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri praised the NDLEA and security agencies for their efforts in keeping Adamawa State drug-free. He had been closely following the case since it began in 2024.