NDLEA Seizes ₦3.4bn Worth of Drugs in Lagos, Rivers; Arrests Multiple Suspects Nationwide
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted illegal drugs valued at over ₦3.4 billion in Lagos and Rivers States, as part of a broader nationwide operation targeting drug trafficking and abuse.
In a statement released Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi disclosed that operatives seized 3.5 million opioid pills and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup during a joint inspection with Customs at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne on April 29.
Additionally, 1.5 million opioid pills were recovered from a suspect, Olarenwaju Wahab, in Lagos, with the source traced to the Lekki residence of a man identified as Obinna Kenneth, who is currently at large.
Nationwide Raids and Seizures
At Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport, officers intercepted 42 parcels of Canadian Loud cannabis (20kg) concealed in tins of chocolate, beans, and beverages on a British Airways flight from Canada. Three suspects, including the recipient Monsurat Ewawunmi Lawson, were arrested.
On May 2, a businessman, Bobby Morris Osas, was arrested while attempting to board a Turkish Airlines flight to Italy with 8,130 pills of various strengths of tramadol hidden in his luggage.
Earlier, NDLEA agents intercepted an attempt to ship 104 grams of tramadol and skunk to Iraq, hidden in body cream bottles, through a Lagos courier company.
In Kaduna, operatives stopped a commercial vehicle carrying 942 explosives en route to Zamfara, arresting the suspect, Nura Sani Muhammad. NDLEA Chairman Buba Marwa ordered the transfer of the case to the appropriate security agency.
In Kano, five members of a drug syndicate led by Aminu Musa (a.k.a. Kadagi) were arrested at Dangoro Market with 50 blocks of skunk (21.6kg).
In Edo, agents seized over 314,000 pills of various opioids, 638 bottles of codeine syrup, and 200 ampoules of pentazocine injection from a bus in Uromi, arresting suspect Dare Adeyemo.
A separate operation in Awka, Anambra, led to the arrest of Chinedu Eneh with over 50,000 tramadol capsules and other narcotics.
In Niger State, NDLEA intercepted 5,500 capsules of tramadol and 2,300 ampoules of pentazocine from a truck along the Kontagora–Mokwa road, arresting 30-year-old Yusuf Abubakar.
After a 10-month manhunt, NDLEA arrested Dominic Chiegozie Obijiaku, MD of Ovidaq International Ltd, for his role in importing over 2.6 million tramadol pills seized in July 2024. A search of his home uncovered 51 wraps of Canadian Loud.
Continued Advocacy
The agency also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign, conducting sensitization sessions in schools across Kano and Katsina states.
NDLEA Chairman Marwa commended officers for balancing enforcement with prevention efforts, praising their commitment to reducing drug supply and demand across the country.
