Adrienne Munju, a 41-year-old Canadian woman, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison by Nigerian authorities after being caught attempting to smuggle 35.20 kilograms of synthetic cannabis, commonly known as “Canadian Loud,” into Nigeria. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested Munju on October 3, 2024, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos during routine passenger clearance of a KLM flight from Canada. The drugs were packed into 74 parcels and hidden in two of her three bags, raising immediate suspicion among law enforcement officers.
According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, Adrienne Munju admitted that she had been recruited via an online platform and was promised CAD 10,000 for successfully delivering the drugs to Nigeria. She stated that her motive for accepting the offer was financial desperation, as she needed the money to fund her ongoing master’s degree studies in Canada. This was Munju’s first time visiting Nigeria, which she claimed was solely to complete this drug trafficking deal.
The case adds to Nigeria’s increasing efforts to combat drug trafficking, especially as synthetic cannabis and other narcotics like opioids have become more prevalent. In addition to Munju’s case, NDLEA operatives recently intercepted large quantities of illicit drugs across Nigeria, including 13.29 million opioid pills and codeine-based cough syrups valued at over N9 billion in Port Harcourt. The agency also seized 50 kg of Canadian Loud at Lagos’ Tincan seaport on the same day as Munju’s arrest.
The NDLEA continues to crack down on drug smuggling, particularly through airports and seaports, with recent arrests underscoring the organization’s commitment to tackling drug-related crimes in Nigeria.
