The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has urged the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal to nullify the acquittal of Lagos socialite and nightclub owner, Mike Nwalie, popularly known as Pretty Mike, over alleged drug-related offences.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa had discharged Nwalie, the owner of Proxy Lagos Nightclub in Victoria Island, Lagos, along with the club’s supervisor, Joachim Hillary, while ruling on their no-case submission application during their trial over alleged illegal possession of hard drugs and permitting drug activities at a nightclub.
The NDLEA had arraigned the duo on November 5, 2025, on a three-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful possession of narcotic substances, and knowingly allowing the club premises to be used for drug-related activities.
The charges were filed following an October 26, 2025, raid on the nightclub, during which the anti-drug trafficking agency allegedly recovered 200 grams of Cannabis Sativa and 177 cylinders of Nitrous Oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, weighing 364.662 kilograms.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of N50 million each with two sureties.
After the prosecution closed its case, the defence counsel, Dada Awosika (SAN), filed a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendants.
In his ruling, Justice Lewis-Allagoa agreed with the defence, holding that the prosecution’s evidence did not justify calling the defendants to enter their defence.
“The judge had also held that the prosecution’s case amounted to “mere suspicion, which cannot form a ground for a criminal conviction.”
Dissatisfied with the decision, the NDLEA, through its counsel, Buhari Abdullahi, filed a notice of appeal, contending that the ruling occasioned a miscarriage of justice.
In the appeal, the agency is asking the appellate court to set aside the trial court’s ruling and order the respondents to enter their defence.
The NDLEA argued that the trial court failed to properly evaluate the prosecution’s evidence before acquitting the defendants.
The appellant stated that there was sufficient evidence establishing the essential ingredients of unlawful possession of narcotic drugs against Pretty Mike under Section 20(2)(b) of the NDLEA Act, as well as evidence supporting the allegation that the nightclub premises were used for drug parties and drug dealing contrary to Section 12 of the Act.
The agency further contended that the trial judge erred in holding that “no drugs were recovered in the possession of the defendants,” insisting that the testimony of its fourth and fifth prosecution witnesses sufficiently linked Pretty Mike to the alleged drug possession.
The NDLEA maintained that the evidence presented during the trial established a prima facie case against both respondents and urged the Court of Appeal to order them to open their defence before the Federal High Court.
