The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking syndicates, intercepted multiple illicit drug shipments concealed in prayer beads, board games, female clothing, and Vitamin C bottles. The shipments, destined for the United States, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Poland, and the United Arab Emirates, were seized at logistics firms and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
In a statement issued by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, on Sunday, 16th March 2025, the Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the agency’s officers for their operational successes. He reaffirmed NDLEA’s commitment to balancing drug supply reduction with demand reduction strategies, including its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaign.
Among those arrested was a 43-year-old businesswoman, Jakpor Egware May, who was caught at the airport’s Gate ‘C’ departure hall on March 8 while attempting to board an Air France flight to Italy. A search of her luggage led to the discovery of 190 parcels of tramadol (225mg) and a parcel of skunk, which she admitted she intended to resell in Italy.
On March 11, NDLEA operatives at the airport’s export shed arrested a 60-year-old suspect, Yahaya Fatai Ayinla, while trying to ship 400 grams of skunk hidden in clothing to New York, USA. At logistics companies in Lagos, NDLEA’s Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) foiled attempts to export over two kilograms of Loud, Molly, and Tramadol hidden in Vitamin C bottles and female clothing to the US. Additional shipments of 230 grams of cocaine concealed in prayer beads, soles of locally made shoes, and board game packs destined for Saudi Arabia, Poland, and the UAE were intercepted between March 10 and 12.
Beyond Lagos, NDLEA operatives carried out extensive raids in Kano, Kwara, Kaduna, Taraba, Abia, Osun, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), leading to significant seizures and arrests.
In Kano, operatives recovered 479kg of compressed skunk from a 40-year-old suspect, Hassan Haruna, at Chalawa on March 12. In Kogi, a commercial bus transporting 58,300 tramadol pills from Lagos to Abuja was intercepted along the Kabba-Obajana highway on March 11.
Several arrests were also made in Kaduna. Idris Hamza (21) was caught with 4,900 tramadol pills in Kachia on March 13, while Aminu Magaji (25) was arrested with 2,900 tramadol pills in Kaduna North LGA on March 14. In Kwara, two suspects, Olowoko Faruk and Akeem Ridwan, were arrested on March 14 with 40,200 tramadol tablets on the Ilorin-Jebba expressway. Another suspect, Salisu Usman, was caught with 21,700 capsules of the drug on March 13 along Eiyenkorin expressway, Ilorin.
In Taraba, NDLEA officers arrested 35-year-old Polycarp Adeku on March 14 with 15.77kg of skunk at Bente Road, Kurmi LGA. In Osun, a commercial bus was intercepted on March 13 in front of King University, Ode-Omu, with 48.7kg of Ghanaian Loud, Colorado, and Canadian Loud. Follow-up operations in Osogbo and Ile-Ife led to the arrest of nine suspects.
In Abuja, a 58-year-old suspect, Ade Esan (aka Pastor), was arrested along Gwagwalada expressway on March 11 with 27,800 tramadol pills, while another suspect, Usman Mohammed (26), was caught with cocaine and skunk at Wuse Zone 3. In Abia, NDLEA raided Ntigha community, Isiala-Ngwa North LGA, on March 15, arresting 34-year-old Chinaza Nwogu (aka Young Money) with 274 grams of heroin, 141 grams of methamphetamine, 2.931kg of cannabis sativa, 4 grams of cocaine, and N753,015 in cash.
As part of its WADA sensitization campaign, NDLEA conducted enlightenment programs in various schools, workplaces, and communities. Beneficiary schools included U.P.E School, Ilara Epe (Lagos); Government Day Secondary School, Jigalambu, Michika (Adamawa); Agbegi High Grammar School, Dekina (Kogi); Capital City Secondary School, Awka (Anambra); and Eso-Obe Comprehensive High School, Ikoro Ekiti (Ekiti).
