The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded one of its biggest breakthroughs in recent months, seizing more than 7.6 million tramadol pills and over 76,273 kilograms of various cannabis strains in a series of coordinated, intelligence-driven operations across several states. The raids, conducted between December 1 and 6, also led to the discovery and destruction of expansive drug warehouses hidden inside forests in Ekiti and Ondo States, as well as the arrest of multiple members of drug trafficking syndicates.
A significant portion of the opioids haul came from a warehouse in Asaba, Delta State, where operatives recovered millions of tramadol tablets and substantial quantities of codeine syrup on December 6. Just days earlier, patrol teams had intercepted a vehicle on the Onitsha–Owerri Road and arrested a suspect transporting over one million tramadol pills from Aba to Onitsha.
In Adamawa State, officers stopped a commercial bus travelling from Jos to Mubi and uncovered more than 1.5 million capsules of tramadol and exol-5 packed inside jumbo bags disguised with rubber sandals. Two suspects were arrested, while another trafficker was apprehended along the Zaria–Kano axis with a separate consignment of exol-5.
A special operations unit of the Agency also intensified its crackdown in forested areas of Ekiti and Ondo States. In Omuo-Ekiti, officers destroyed over 14 tonnes of cannabis and arrested two suspects during a pre-dawn operation. A follow-up raid in Asin-Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area, led to the destruction of more than 54 tonnes of cannabis stored in two massive forest warehouses. In Ondo State, operatives stormed Igoba forest in Akure North, where they recovered over 5.4 tonnes of cannabis and arrested five suspects linked to the concealed storehouses.
Similar operations unfolded in other parts of the country. In Niger State, officers seized half a tonne of cannabis from a vehicle along the Mokwa–Jebba Road. In Abuja, operatives intercepted a consignment of Colorado, a potent synthetic cannabis, and arrested the female recipient after a follow-up operation at Jabi Park. A separate arrest on the Kwali–Gwagwalada Expressway yielded additional quantities of cannabis and hundreds of thousands of exol-5 pills.
The Lagos and Edo Commands also recorded major successes. In Lagos, several suspects were arrested in Mushin, Onipanu and the Trade Fair Complex for attempting to distribute sizeable consignments of Canadian Loud and skunk. In Edo State, officers uncovered additional cannabis stores in Agho forest and a community in Ohuwunde Local Government Area, leading to more arrests and seizures.
Beyond enforcement, NDLEA Commands across the country sustained their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy during the week, delivering sensitisation lectures in schools and communities including Kano, Benue and Rivers States.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers across all formations involved in the operations. He described their efforts as a demonstration of the Agency’s balanced strategy of reducing both drug supply and demand in communities nationwide, reaffirming the NDLEA’s commitment to disrupting criminal drug networks and safeguarding public health.
