The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking with a string of high-profile interceptions and arrests across the country, including the seizure of illicit substances ingeniously concealed in household items and the capture of a fugitive drug kingpin.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, operatives intercepted parcels of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, concealed in new microwaves imported from Thailand. The consignment, which arrived via Ethiopian Airlines from Bangkok through Addis Ababa, was recovered on Monday, 7th July, following actionable intelligence. A suspect, Ezenwegbu Chike, was arrested in connection with the 11.3kg shipment.
Barely a week after seizing 420 grams of cocaine hidden in lipstick tubes bound for the United Kingdom, NDLEA operatives at the airport’s export shed uncovered another consignment of cocaine similarly concealed in ladies’ lipsticks within a cargo of cosmetics and hair attachments destined for Malabo, Guinea. Upon dismantling, 400 grams of cocaine and phenacetine were recovered. Ezeikwelume Prince Afam, a businessman operating at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo, Lagos, was apprehended on Friday, 11th July.
In a major breakthrough, the agency’s Special Operations Unit arrested Okechukwu Izugha, also known as Okey Omeogo, a wanted drug kingpin who had been on the run for over a year. He was arrested on Wednesday, 9th July, at his wife’s shop in Ijesha Market, Lagos. Izugha was first linked to the trafficking network after a 9kg cocaine seizure in August 2024. His wife, Maureen Izugha, was earlier arrested and convicted for possession of 500 grams of cocaine and is currently serving a two-year jail term.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives destroyed over 28,000 kilograms of cannabis cultivated across three farms in Ewere Uzebba forest, Owan West Local Government Area. The raid, conducted on Tuesday, 8th July, resulted in the seizure of an additional 82kg of processed cannabis. As officers exited the forest, they came under fire from armed cartel members but managed to repel the attack without casualties, despite one operational vehicle being riddled with bullets.
Similarly, in Lagos, a truckload of compressed blocks of Ghana Loud cannabis, weighing 700kg, was recovered from Okun-Ajah Beach. Two suspects, Innocent Ejidiobo and Friday Paul, were arrested along the Ajah-Epe expressway with quantities of cannabis, methamphetamine, and Molly.
Across Borno, Gombe, Taraba, Kogi, Kaduna, and Kano States, operatives made a series of arrests and seizures involving hundreds of thousands of opioid pills, skunk, and other narcotics. Among the suspects arrested were inter-state traffickers transporting illicit substances in vehicles ranging from passenger cars to petrol tankers with concealed compartments.
The agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy also continued nationwide, with sensitization campaigns held in secondary schools and traditional communities across several states, including Cross River, Kano, Enugu, Lagos, Anambra, and Abia.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the dedication of officers and men across the various commands for their relentless efforts in drug supply suppression and demand reduction across the country.
