Echoing the NDLEA Chairman’s warning that drug barons can run but never hide, the Agency’s elite ‘eagle eye’ detectives have
intercepted a large cocaine shipment cleverly concealed in imported stockfish. The crackdown further crippled an international smuggling ring with the arrest of a kingpin orchestrating drug shipments to India and beyond.
In a statement released on Sunday, March 29th, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the dismantling of a trans-border drug syndicate following an intensive intelligence-led operation.
The crackdown culminated in a coordinated sting by operatives of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Strategic Command at the Ojo area of Lagos on Thursday, March 19th, 2026. During the operation, 36-year-old kingpin Akputa Dickson Ejike was apprehended in possession of three jumbo-sized bags. A forensic search of the luggage uncovered 237 wraps of cocaine—weighing approximately 5.80 kilograms—ingeniously concealed within the heads of imported dried stockfish, locally known as “Okporoko.” Preliminary investigations reveal the illicit consignment was destined for export to Delhi, India.
The NDLEA’s relentless offensive against drug trafficking recorded further victories this week with major seizures in Lagos. On Wednesday, March 25th, DOGI operatives intercepted UK-bound shipments at a courier hub, uncovering 1.9kg of Methamphetamine hidden in car filters and a dangerous cocktail of Morphine and Fentanyl ampoules.
The momentum continued into Thursday, March 26th, when a Special Operations Unit stormed the Yaba residence of Omolade Abigail Jolayemi (a.k.a. “Iya Ghana”). While Jolayemi appeared to be a legitimate textile trader, investigators revealed she sat atop a sophisticated Nigeria-Ghana drug pipeline. The sting led to the arrest of Jolayemi and her accomplice, Sarah Zainab Agbabiaka, with the seizure of 76.30kg of “Ghana Loud” cannabis.
Another blow was dealt to drug traffickers the same day as SOU operatives intercepted Anayo Lucky Ohabiro, 39, at the Doyin Bus Stop in Surulere. Following a lead, officers uncovered 78 blocks of ‘Ghana Loud’ weighing 41kg in his possession, further dismantling the local distribution network.
Truly, age is no cover for crime as NDLEA operatives nabbed 80-year-old grandpa, Oke Samuel, in a special raid at Mosafuneto Camp, Ekiti, on Thursday, March 26th. Found with 2.2kg of skunk and methamphetamine, the suspect’s arrest coincided with a major breakthrough in Ondo State. There, officers stormed an uncompleted building in Ogbese, seizing a staggering 894.72kg of illicit drugs from 37-year-old Enuwa Kehinde Kingsley.
Continuing the agency’s nationwide crackdown, NDLEA operatives recovered 116.7kg of skunk from 35-year-old Saater Nyam during a raid at Pevi Village, Guma LGA, Benue State, on Tuesday, March 24th. This followed a major breakthrough in Edo State on Monday, March 23rd, where a strategic operation in Ekpoma town, Esan West LGA, led to the discovery of a drug warehouse. The raid resulted in the arrest of 25-year-old Felix Donald and the seizure of 576.5kg of skunk alongside 33 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
In a clinical operation on Tuesday, March 24th, NDLEA officers in Taraba State intercepted a Gombe-bound truck conveying a hidden cargo of 100 blocks of compressed skunk. The drugs, weighing 135kg, were stashed inside animal feed bags to evade detection. The vehicle’s occupants, Osama Mamuda (21) and Auwal Umar (22), were both taken into custody as the Agency continues to dismantle transit routes for drug cartels.
In tandem with its enforcement operations, the NDLEA’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy campaign maintained its nationwide momentum over the past week.
However, grassroots sensitization lectures were delivered to students and faculty across several institutions, including Community Secondary School, Itigidi (Cross River); Government Girls Secondary School, Yola (Adamawa); Islamic High School, Igbeti (Oyo); Gidan Sarki Primary School (Kano); and Royal Legends Academy, Ibeshe, Ikorodu (Lagos).
In a glowing tribute to the Agency’s recent successes, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/CEO of the NDLEA, applauded the MMIA, SOU, DOGI, and various state commands for their high-profile breakthroughs.
Highlighting the Agency’s multi-dimensional approach, Marwa commended officers nationwide for their dual commitment to dismantling drug cartels and advancing the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) through balanced supply and demand reduction efforts.
