The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted two consignments of Colorado, popularly known as “Colos”, shipped from the United Kingdom, as operatives uncovered more than 2.3 tonnes of assorted illicit drugs in raids and operations across eight states.
The operations, conducted in Lagos, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Kaduna, Plateau, Bayelsa and Kano, also resulted in the arrest of several suspects, including a real estate agent, tour agent and a 70-year-old woman.
At the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted 27 parcels of Colorado weighing 32.20kg concealed in a consolidated cargo from the United Kingdom.
A real estate agent, Abideen Jide Salami, was arrested on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, after he arrived to collect a large luggage contained the illicit substance using a secret collection code reportedly relayed to him by his brother based in the UK.
A follow-up operation linked to another UK consignment also led to the arrest of its designated recipient, Nurudeen Abiodun Kadiri, 44, after 12.25kg of Colorado was intercepted. Kadiri reportedly told investigators that his brother in the UK sent the consignment to him.
In another Lagos operation, NDLEA operatives from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted a music speaker rigged with three packs of Colorado at Maza Maza Motor Park.
The consignment was reportedly destined for Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and subsequently Liberia. A sting operation at a nearby eatery led to the arrest of tour agent Ifeanyi Obed Augustine, 41, and the owner of the consignment, Obasi Ugochuckwu, 46.
At Iddo Park, another suspect, Ifeanyi Nwokolo Henry, was arrested on Friday, September 11, while allegedly attempting to dispatch 2.1kg of Colorado to Kano.
In Delta State, separate operations in Ughelli and Asaba yielded ampoules of pentazocine injection, codeine syrup, tramadol, diazepam, flunitrazepam (Hypnox) and MDMA, popularly known as Molly. Some of the drugs were concealed inside music speakers, while two suspects, Emeka Oji and Chukwuebuka Anedi, were arrested.
Kano State recorded one of the biggest seizures in the operation when NDLEA operatives raided a location in Sabon Gari and arrested 20-year-old Saidu Adamu with 785,000 capsules of Pregabalin weighing 669.425kg.
In another operation along the Zaria-Kano-Hadejia road, operatives intercepted 1,700 tablets of diazepam concealed inside loaves of bread. The drugs were recovered from 28-year-old Habibu Sabitu.
In Plateau State, a 51-year-old suspect, Chinedu Uzor, was arrested at Katako Market, Jos, with 157,100 capsules of tramadol.
The agency also sustained its offensive against illicit cannabis cultivation in Edo State, destroying 4,832.56kg of skunk on cannabis farms located in Usen Forest, Igwe-Oke Forest and Ogboha Forest in Ovia South West, Owan East and Owan West Local Government Areas.
A 39-year-old suspect, Sunday Segun, was arrested during the operation on Friday, September 11.
In Ondo State, NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence raided a residence along Oke-Iya, Ijoka Road, Akure, on Wednesday, September 9, recovering 186kg of skunk concealed in the boot of a Toyota Avalon marked ABJ 917 FV.
The consignment was allegedly being prepared for transportation to Jos for onward distribution, leading to the arrest of 58-year-old Paul Ogbuwala.
In Kaduna State, a female suspect, Hannah Michael, was arrested at Gonin Gora with 369.6kg of cannabis.
Similarly, four suspects were arrested at Ovom, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, with 110 bags of cannabis weighing 876kg. They were identified as 70-year-old Godwoman Gboriye, Motombo Silver, 44, Pere Andrew, 39, and Keme Andrew, 43.
Beyond the seizures and arrests, NDLEA Commands and formations across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.
The activities included a WADA enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Mezube Islamiyya Academy, Tudun Wada, Kano; an advocacy visit to the management of Cross River State College of Health Technology, Calabar; and a visit by Rikkos traditional rulers to the NDLEA Academy in Jos to appreciate the agency for allowing community members access to its clinic.
The Zone 4 Command also paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Keffi, Alhaji Shehu Chindo Yamusa III, in Keffi, Nasarawa State, among other engagements.
Commending the officers and men of DOGI, MMIA, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Kaduna, Plateau, Bayelsa and Kano Commands for the successful operations, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), urged them to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control.
Marwa charged NDLEA personnel to continue shutting down every pipeline exploited by drug cartels, whether through airports, seaports, land borders or the hinterland where cannabis is cultivated.
