In continuation of its routine crackdown on drug peddlers and the eradication of illicit substances within Nigeria, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted several high-profile ‘barons’ at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) and a Lagos courier firm.
The arrests followed desperate attempts by Drug Trafficking Organisations (DTOs) to smuggle methamphetamine and opioids to Europe by concealing them within carton walls, winter jackets, and body cream containers. These foiled operations highlight the Agency’s unwavering commitment to dismantling syndicates and securing Nigeria’s borders against the drug menace.
In a statement released on Sunday, March 22, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the arrest of two suspects linked to shipments heading to Italy via the Lagos airport. Among them was 37-year-old Friday Ehianuka, a Milan resident intercepted on Friday, March 20, while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Rome. A search of his luggage revealed 2,698 pills of Tramadol (225mg) cleverly concealed within skin-lightening body cream containers. Upon interrogation, Ehianuka confessed he was to receive a negotiated fee in Euros had he successfully trafficked the illicit consignment to Italy.
In a separate high-stakes bust on Wednesday, March 18, NDLEA operatives at the Lagos Airport departure hall intercepted 38-year-old Christian Agbonhese as he attempted to board a Lufthansa Airlines flight to Milan, Italy. A thorough search of his luggage uncovered an ingenious concealment: 28,470 opioid pills hidden inside two large winter jackets. The massive haul included 23,150 Tramadol (225mg), 4,000 Tapentadol (250mg), and 1,320 Tramadol (100mg). Agbonhese, a resident of Milan, was promptly arrested as the agency dismantled yet another attempt to traffic illicit substances into Europe.
Building on their momentum, NDLEA officers at a Lagos courier firm recorded another major success on Monday, March 16, intercepting two parcels of “Loud”—a potent strain of cannabis—weighing 1kg. The illicit shipment arrived from the United States cleverly concealed inside a carton. In a separate operation, the Agency thwarted an attempt to export 158 grams of methamphetamine destined for New Zealand. In a desperate bid to evade detection, the traffickers had hidden the drugs within the very walls of a carton, but were ultimately outsmarted by the Agency’s vigilant operatives.
In a sweeping nationwide crackdown on Wednesday, March 18, NDLEA operatives extended their “eagle-eyed” surveillance to Kano State, where they arrested 35-year-old Abdulkadir Mamuda with 102.5kg of skunk at Dan-Tsalle. On the same day, 47-year-old Uche Johnson Festus was apprehended at Naibawa Gabas in possession of 95.5kg of the same psychoactive substance.
Meanwhile, in Lagos, a major raid in the Otto, Ijora area led to the recovery of a staggering 21,737 bottles of codeine-based syrup from a hidden store.The enforcement continued on the Third Mainland Bridge, where operatives intercepted Chidiebere Anigbogu and Paul Nwagbara conveying an additional 8,380 bottles of codeine, bringing the day’s total seizure to over 30,000 bottles of the illicit syrup.
Operations across Edo, Oyo, and the FCT also yielded significant results. In Edo State, operatives raided the home of 37-year-old Akeem Idde in Ojah, Akoko-Edo LGA, on Monday, March 16, recovering 97.5kg of skunk. On Wednesday, March 18, NDLEA officers in Abuja intercepted a commercial bus on the Gwagwalada Expressway. A tactical search of the vehicle’s body compartments uncovered 91,840 pills of Tramadol, leading to the immediate arrest of the driver, 27-year-old Aminu Ali.
In Oyo State, a cross-border smuggling attempt was foiled on Tuesday, March 17. Bankole Bari was apprehended at Oke-Oyan, Ibarapa LGA, with 71.2kg of skunk, which he had reportedly smuggled into Nigeria from the Benin Republic via the Oyan River.
The crackdown intensified in Kaduna and Taraba States with massive opioid seizures. On Tuesday, March 17, operatives intercepted Lawal Anas (28) along the Kaduna-Zaria highway, recovering a staggering 586,000 pills of Tramadol and Exol-5. At the same location on Friday, March 20, 22-year-old Musa Shuaibu was caught with 7,290 tablets of Tramadol (225mg).
Meanwhile, in Taraba, acting on credible intelligence, officers intercepted Aliyu Adamu (26) on the Takum-Jalingo highway while he was conveying 77,660 capsules of Tramadol destined for Gombe.
Finally, in Adamawa State, a swift follow-up operation in Yola led to the arrest of six suspects linked to a truck carrying 82.8kg of Tramadol. The suspects—identified as joint owners of the consignment—include Ramatu Aliyu, Jungudo Abdullahi, Najid Abdullahi, Usman Abdulrahim, and two individuals named Musa Mohammed. All six are currently in custody as investigations continue.
Beyond enforcement, the Agency’s commands and formations nationwide intensified their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaign over the past week. Taking the message of prevention to the grassroots, operatives conducted high-impact advocacy sessions across schools, worship centres, workplaces, and local communities.
Key outreach activities included WADA sensitization lectures for students and staff at Girls High School, Abakaliki (Ebonyi); New State High School, Mushin (Lagos); Cornerstone Secondary School, Sankwala (Cross River); Community Secondary School, Ngwo-Uno (Enugu); and St. John’s Academy, Ipokia (Ogun), among several others. These efforts underscore the NDLEA’s dual commitment to both dismantling drug supply chains and reducing demand through continuous public education.
Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, commended the officers and men of the MMIA, DOGI, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Oyo, FCT, Taraba, and Adamawa Commands for their exceptional performance in these arrests and seizures.
Marwa applauded their vigilance, enjoined them and their colleagues nationwide to sustain the Agency’s balanced approach to drug control—simultaneously intensifying both the disruption of drug supply chains and the reduction of drug demand through advocacy and prevention.
