The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted illicit drugs worth more than ₦3.4 billion and arrested several suspects in intelligence-led operations across Lagos, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe, Imo and the Federal Capital Territory.
The operations yielded more than 1.3 million pills and capsules of tramadol and other opioids, as well as about 6,000 kilograms of cannabis, including a major seizure of 603.75kg of Canadian Loud valued at ₦1.81 billion.
One of the major breakthroughs involved the arrest of a 49-year-old man, Innocent Ekpe, who allegedly impersonated a senior police officer to evade security checks while transporting illicit drugs across states.
Ekpe was arrested on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, along the Benin-Onitsha Expressway in Asaba, Delta State, with 292.48kg of skunk concealed in a silver Toyota Sienna bus. NDLEA investigations revealed that he allegedly posed as Godwin Emeka, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, using a forged identity card to beat checkpoints. His alleged accomplice, 39-year-old Nduka Joseph, was also arrested.
In Edo State, operatives acting on intelligence raided an auto-repair workshop along Agbor Road, Benin City, where they arrested 45-year-old Matthew Ossai. The workshop was allegedly being used as a cover for the storage of illicit drugs.
NDLEA officers recovered 48kg of Canadian Loud, 152 grammes of methamphetamine and a metal box allegedly used for storing the substances.
At the Tin-Can Island Port in Lagos, operatives, working with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies, intercepted a 40-foot container shipped from Montreal, Canada, which arrived on September 12.
A joint physical examination of the container on September 16 uncovered 1,200 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 603.75kg. The drugs were concealed inside 31 black jumbo bags loaded into two Toyota Sienna vehicles.
In Niger State, three young suspects – Bashir Usman, 20; Abubakar Nuhu, 18; and Abdulrahman Abdulwahab, 18 were arrested on September 15 along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway at Chachi, Tafa Local Government Area.
The suspects were allegedly found with two locally fabricated AK-47 rifles and a magazine, a locally made pistol with a magazine and nine rounds of 9mm ammunition concealed in a black travel bag.
Also in Niger State, NDLEA operatives on September 18 arrested Aminu Isyaku, 23, and Jamilu Habibu, 25, along the Abaji-Abuja highway. Recovered from them were more than 1.1 million assorted tramadol tablets and capsules, codeine syrup, methamphetamine and Exol tablets concealed in eight sacks reportedly being transported from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
In Lagos, Onyeka Ofor was arrested at his residence in Aguda, Surulere, with 48,900 pills of tramadol 225mg, while seven cartons of cannabis sativa weighing 59kg were intercepted at a logistics company, leading to the arrest of Luke Ugokwe.
Another suspect, 43-year-old Ibrahim Hudu, was arrested at Apongbo on September 17 with 998.38kg of nitrous oxide gas.
In Gombe State, 154,480 capsules of tramadol were recovered from two suspects, Sabi’u Umar, 27, and Hassana Muhammad, 19, who were arrested at Barunde and Gombe Main Market respectively on September 18.
In Imo State, 25-year-old Ifesinachi Godwin was arrested along the Owerri-Onitsha Road with 43.85kg of skunk.
Similarly, four suspects — Blessing Effiong, Saviour Peter, David Friday Sunday and Ability Peter Sunday — were arrested during a raid and destruction of a two-hectare cannabis farm in Ita-Ogbolu Forest, Ondo State.
The operation led to the destruction of 5,000kg of skunk, while 48kg of dry and fresh cannabis was recovered from the farm for use in prosecuting the suspects.
Beyond enforcement, NDLEA commands and formations across the country continued with War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation programmes in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.
The agency said its recent sensitisation activities included engagements at St. Ferdinand School, Ogbomoso, Oyo State; Unizik Secondary School, Awka, Anambra State; Scholars Nursery and Primary School, Epe, Lagos; and Government Technical Training School, Jalingo, Taraba State.
The Delta Ports Command also paid a WADA advocacy visit to His Royal Majesty, King Couple Mackson Oromoni Mobene III, Pere Ama-Okosu of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, Delta State.
Commending officers and men of the Lagos, Tin-Can, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe, Imo and FCT Commands, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), praised their professionalism and intelligence-driven operations.
Marwa urged personnel across the country to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control, combining enforcement operations with prevention, advocacy and public sensitisation.
