Lagos Court Approves Extradition of Fugitive Drug Convict to UK After 13-Year Evasion

A Federal High Court in Lagos has approved the extradition of Uzoma Ilomuanya to the United Kingdom where he is to serve a 66-month prison term for drug-related offences.

The order was issued on July 6, 2026 by Justice Ayokunle Faji following an application filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation on March 6. The UK government had requested Ilomuanya’s return after he was convicted and sentenced in absentia by Isleworth Crown Court. He had jumped bail and later resurfaced in Nigeria. The court also noted he goes by the names Val, Valentine Ilomuanya and Henry Ilomuanya.

Justice Faji said the Federal Government satisfied all the requirements under the Extradition Act. The government presented an authenticated certificate of conviction, a warrant of arrest issued by UK authorities, and diplomatic correspondence requesting his surrender. The judge relied on the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Attorney-General of the Federation v. Princewill Ugonna Anuebunwa to affirm that the offences were extraditable.

The court dismissed Ilomuanya’s objection that the application was not personally signed by the AGF. Citing Section 4 of the Law Officers Act, Justice Faji held that delegation within the Federal Ministry of Justice is permitted and that the presence of the law officer’s seal was enough. He described arguments about signatures and formatting as technical points that could not invalidate the proceedings.

He also rejected challenges to the authenticity of the UK documents. According to the judge, the certificate of conviction and other supporting papers carried original signatures and were authenticated before a district judge in the UK, so they were presumed valid.

On jurisdiction, the court found that communications from the UK Central Authority and the British High Commission in Nigeria constituted proper diplomatic requests. Justice Faji said international comity demands that Nigerian courts recognize official requests from competent foreign authorities.

The claim that a pending criminal case in Nigeria should stop the extradition failed as well. The judge noted that the prosecution had filed a Notice of Discontinuance on February 24, 2026, effectively ending that case.

Ilomuanya also argued that the 13-year delay made the extradition oppressive. The court disagreed, stating the delay was a result of his own decision to flee while on bail. “I do not see anything inordinate in sending a convict back to the place of conviction, even after 13 years,” Justice Faji said. “A duly convicted person who jumped bail must not be allowed to escape the long arms of the law.”

His health argument was dismissed for lack of evidence. He told the court he was undergoing traditional treatment in Imo State and could not handle flights over two hours. The judge observed there was no medical report from an orthodox practitioner, no details of the alleged condition, and no identification of the traditional practitioner. He further questioned how Ilomuanya traveled from the UK to Nigeria if he was unfit for long flights, and concluded the claim was aimed at frustrating the sentence.

Emphasizing Nigeria’s treaty obligations, Justice Faji granted the extradition request and ordered that Ilomuanya be surrendered to the UK to serve the outstanding 66 months imposed by Isleworth Crown Court.