In a series of high-stakes, intelligence-led operations spanning three weeks, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has once again outmaneuvered drug barons attempting to use sophisticated deceptive techniques. The agency successfully dismantled an international trafficking syndicate, intercepting cocaine consignments cleverly concealed in tins of palm kernel extract destined for the United Kingdom. Following a strategic raid on the group’s packaging warehouse, operatives unraveled all three layers of the criminal network, culminating in the arrest of the syndicate’s kingpin.
In a statement released on Sunday, April 5, the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, revealed that the breakthrough began on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. Operatives of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Strategic Command in Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted 3.10 kilograms of cocaine at the airport’s export shed. The illicit cargo was meticulously concealed within tins of palm kernel extract destined for the United Kingdom.
The agency’s statement further detailed the swift arrests of Idris Olayiwola Amoo and Akinlami Akinsoji Adedoyin, the two suspects handling the shipment. To dismantle the syndicate’s leadership, a coordinated sting operation was launched on Thursday, April 2, leading to the arrest of the sender, Ezemuwo Joel (who operated under the alias Ajayi).
Joel’s capture provided the vital link to the syndicate’s mastermind: 52-year-old King Arinze. In a decisive move, NDLEA operatives flushed Arinze out of his Isolo hideout and proceeded to his warehouse at No. 11, Ola Ifa Street, Bucknor, Isolo. There, officers recovered an extensive smuggling kit, including 886 tins of palm kernel extract prepared for concealment, industrial sealing machines, tin openers, paint sprays, 52 grams of cannabis, and specialized hand gloves. Arinze has since confessed to personally draining the oil from the tins to hide the cocaine.
Similarly, in a separate but equally significant operation in Borno State, NDLEA operatives intercepted 28-year-old Aisha Adamu, a key drug supplier to bandit groups operating across the North East and Chad. She was apprehended on Wednesday, April 1, along the Gamboru Ngala Road in possession of 4.3 kilograms of “Colorado,” a potent synthetic strain of cannabis.
In a separate development, Pastor Afolabi Hodonu, 45, and his wife, Success Hodonu, 35, were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Gbaji checkpoint on Thursday, April 2. The couple—who lead the Celestial Church of Christ, Agonvi Sea Beach in the Sakpo area of the Seme border—were caught with 11kg of skunk meticulously concealed within hidden compartments of their Honda Pilot SUV.
Their arrest was the direct result of a prior apprehension at the same checkpoint on Monday, March 30, involving a fake security agent, Sunday Samuel, 35, who was intercepted while attempting to smuggle 24.5kg of skunk from the Seme border into Lagos.
However in Adamawa State, NDLEA officers recorded another success on Monday, March 30, during a strategic patrol along Namtari Road, Yola South. Operatives intercepted a trailer (registration number RUW 947 XA) transporting a massive haul of 48,000 tramadol pills. The truck driver, Abdulaziz Ismail Korede, was promptly arrested, while a swift follow-up operation led to the apprehension of the intended recipient, Idris Adamu.
The NDLEA’s nationwide sweep continued with the arrest of 60-year-old Idiatu Oladejo in Isale Osun, Osogbo, where she was found with 15kg of skunk on Wednesday, April 1. On the same day, acting on credible intelligence, operatives raided the Itaogbolu Forest in Akure, Ondo State, recovering a massive 351 kilograms of skunk and its seeds. Meanwhile, in Aliade, Benue State, 66-year-old Aminu Usman Gembu was intercepted with no fewer than 28,600 tramadol capsules.
While in Edo State, NDLEA operatives conducted a successful raid on Monday, March 30, at a warehouse in the Egbanke community, Orhionmwon LGA. The operation led to the arrest of 37-year-old Roland Owie and the recovery of a massive 1,378 kilograms of skunk.
In a more disturbing development, a notorious drug dealer in Ibadan, Oyo State, was apprehended on Wednesday, April 1. The suspect, 40-year-old Ayantola Omodunmomi (popularly known as “Iya Elle”), was arrested in the Eleta area following intense surveillance. Investigations revealed a shocking tactic: she allegedly used her 11-year-old daughter, Anjola, to deliver illicit drugs to customers. During the raid, 45.6kg of skunk was recovered from her warehouse.
Parallel to these enforcement operations, the NDLEA intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy campaign over the past week. Sensitisation lectures were delivered to students and staff at several institutions across the country, including Okere Grammar School (Saki, Oyo), Shasha Comprehensive High School (Alimosho, Lagos), Ma’ahad Ahmad Turaki Islamiyya (Sabon Gari, Kano), Ezi-Awka Community Secondary School (Awka, Anambra), and Madrasatul Ihsan (Tsafe, Zamfara). These grassroots engagements remain a cornerstone of the Agency’s strategy to prevent drug abuse through education and community outreach.
In a statement commending the officers of the MMIA, Seme, Borno, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Edo, Adamawa, and Benue Commands for their record-breaking arrests and seizures, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the Agency’s nationwide workforce. He specifically lauded their commitment to maintaining a strategic balance between drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts, reinforcing the NDLEA’s holistic approach to securing a drug-free Nigeria.
“These successful operations are a testament to the Agency’s evolving intelligence capabilities and our unwavering commitment to choking the supply lines of drug cartels. Whether they hide behind legitimate businesses, religious titles, or complex concealment methods, we will find them”, Marwa stated.
