In continuation of the routine fight against drugs in the Country, the NDLEA operatives have dismantled a sophisticated social media network distributing illicit substances packaged as imported Christmas cookies and snacks. The operation, part of Nigeria’s ongoing war against drugs, culminated in the arrest of two suspects during a raid on their Lekki hideout, in Lagos.
The development was disclosed in a statement released to the press on Sunday, November 30. The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, highlighted the syndicate’s methods: “The drug syndicate run by the duo of Deji Adesanya and Olubiyi Majekodunmi had imported consignments of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis and a variety of colorful designer sachets with pictures and labels of cookies and snacks printed on them, and used to package the psychoactive substance in retail quantities.
According to the agency, the success was recorded as a result of credible intelligence. Following this intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, November 22, 2025, raided the suspects’ apartment at Ojulari Street, Ikate area of Lekki. A large quantity of the designer sachets and five kilograms of ‘Loud’ were recovered during the arrests. The syndicate operated and distributed the illicit substances through a WhatsApp platform.
However, NDLEA operatives reported another major bust in Lagos, building on their war against drugs.
The agency stated: “In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Thursday, November 27, arrested a 38-year-old drug kingpin, Philip Ucheka, while taking delivery of 110 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 55.6kg at the Ladipo area of Mushin. At the point of his arrest, three delivery vehicles were also seized from him.
“At a courier company in Lagos, 100 grams of ‘Loud’ concealed in a teddy bear imported from Thailand were intercepted on Thursday, November 27, while a consignment of 548 capsules of tramadol hidden in bottles of Vitamin C and Magnesium going to the United Kingdom were recovered at another logistics firm the following day, Friday, November 28.”
The statement also detailed further busts outside of Lagos:
“In Oyo state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Saturday, November 29, nabbed a suspect, Wasiu Kareem, 55, with 8,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection; 590 bottles of codeine syrup; 1,500 pills of Co-codamol and 9,900 capsules of tramadol.
“No fewer than seven suspects were arrested on Monday, November 24, when NDLEA operatives raided the Ipe forest in the Akoko South East area of Ondo State where they recovered 3,077 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis.”
Authorities have released the names of those implicated in the recent drug busts. According to the agency, those apprehended are:
“John Ede; Ede Ndubuisi; Ikenna Abe; Eze Chukwuma; Maduabuchi Odo; Nnaji Chudubem and Gorge Okowor.”
The arrests were part of a broader crackdown. On Wednesday, November 26, Anthony Sylvester, 49, was intercepte along the Okene/Lokoja highway in Kogi State, transporting 649kg of skunk in a truck. Just two days later, NDLEA officers from the Seme Special Area Command raided a warehouse at Ashipa, Seme border, Badagry, Lagos, capturing Abubakar Shuaibu, 33, with a significant haul of 487 blocks of skunk, weighing 243.5kg.”
The anti-narcotics agency continued its expansive operations across Northern Nigeria, securing multiple arrests and seizing illicit cargo. The agency confirmed the following key interdictions:
“Tsalha Alasan, 47, was arrested along Zaria-Kano road with 137kg skunk on Monday 24th November, while three suspects: Godspower Appeal, 50; Ernest Upong, 55; and Godday Chukwudi, 38, were nabbed on Wednesday 26th November with 322 blocks of skunk weighing 209kilograms at Fanshanu village, Toro LGA, Bauchi state. A black Toyota Highlander jeep marked ABJ 533 EA used in conveying the consignment was also recovered from them.
” A suspect John Ekojo, 51, was arrested with 210.15kg skunk along Abuja/Jos highway on Saturday 29th November, while a couple: Abdullahi Abubakar, 45, and Jamila Abdullahi, 35, were nabbed along Abuja/Kaduna highway with 725 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition concealed in a sack of maize just as another suspect Awwal Sabiu, 20, was caught with 400 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition at Abuja/Kaduna tollgate on Friday 28th November.
Simultaneously, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country have maintained their momentum, actively continuing their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, places of worship, workplaces, and local communities over the past week.”
Extending their community outreach efforts, the agency confirmed that awareness campaigns actively targeted a diverse range of institutions and communities:
“WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of Government Junior Technical School, Kofar Kudu, Kano; Bright Eyes International School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi; dock workers and clearing agents at the Tincan Port, Lagos; Legacy International College, Nsukka, Enugu; and Seatos School, Ikorodu, Lagos, among others.”
Highlighting the agency’s recent operational successes, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa, praised the field operatives and challenged them to maintain their vigilance. The Chairman
”commended the officers and men of DOGI, Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Kogi, Kaduna, Kano, Seme and Bauchi Commands for the various successful operations. He enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.”
