The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a major drug distribution network operating from a newly opened hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, recovering illicit drugs valued at over N1.04 billion.
During a raid conducted between Friday 25th and Saturday 26th April 2025, operatives stormed The Hook Hotel, also known as Caesar Hotel and Caesar Lounge, located at 16 Waziri Ibrahim Street, off Elsie Femi Pearse Street. After hours of combing the five-storey building, the officers recovered 589 bags of Canadian Loud a potent strain of cannabis with a total weight of 417.3 kilograms and an estimated street value of ₦1,042,500,000.
Three suspects — Eze Ayitu, Ofuokwu Samuel, and Emmanuel Ameh were arrested during the operation, while two other suspects, identified as Noble Philip and Kenneth, are currently on the run.
Items suspected to be proceeds of the illicit drug trade were also seized, including a Toyota Prado Landcruiser Jeep (Lagos AKD 472 OZ), Toyota Sienna (Lagos KJA 79 HJ), Volkswagen Delivery Van (Lagos AAA 525 JE), Kia Cerato (Lagos BDG 860 GQ), and a Grand Caravan Dodge (Lagos APP 847 YF). Additionally, 74 new television sets, 10 used TV sets, and 13 refrigerators were recovered.
In a related operation, NDLEA operatives in Jigawa and Kano states intercepted a consignment of opioids intended for smuggling into Niger Republic and Yobe State. Acting on intelligence, officers arrested two suspects, Abba Ibrahim, 28, and Shuaibu Umar, 29, along Kano-Ringim Road, Gumel town. They were found with 200,000 pills of tramadol 250mg and 217,500 capsules of pregabalin concealed in a Toyota Sienna.
A swift follow-up operation led to the arrest of the suspected supplier, Jamilu Muhammad, 41, at his residence in Mil Tara, Layin Technical area, Kano. Additional 1,584,000 pills of tramadol 250mg were recovered from a Nissan 18-seater bus and a room in his house, bringing the total number of seized pills to 2,001,500.
Meanwhile, NDLEA’s Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) has intercepted another shipment of cocaine hidden in body cream destined for Saudi Arabia. The 46 wraps of cocaine weighing 547 grams were seized on Wednesday 23rd April at a courier firm in Lagos. Another consignment comprising 1.8kg of pentazocine injection and 60 grams of bromazepam tablets heading to Canada was also intercepted the same day.
At the Seme border area of Badagry, Lagos, three Ghanaian women — Haziza Zubairu, 42; Samirat Mustapha, 43; and Jamila Salifu, 26 — were arrested on Sunday 20th April with a combined 4.8 kilograms of Ghana Loud cannabis while attempting to smuggle the substance into Nigeria.
In other parts of the country, NDLEA operatives in Kano arrested a 60-year-old woman, Safiya Shamsu, with 5.6 kilograms of skunk at Samegu, Kumbotso LGA, and apprehended Muntari Labaran, 35, with 100 litres of codeine syrup at Yelwa, Dala LGA.
In Edo State, a total of 3,814.9 kilograms of cannabis plantations were destroyed during a raid on two farms in Ugbodu community, Ovia North East LGA. Three suspects — Samuel Samson, 26; Daniel Peter, 20; and Abel Edah, 31 — were arrested at the scene.
Across the country, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities, holding sensitization lectures at Dan-Doro Community Arabic Secondary School in Katsina; St. James Anglican School, Badariya, Kebbi; Federal Government Girls College, Tambuwal, Sokoto; and among the Oganiru age grade group in Onitsha, Anambra State. The Lagos State Strategic Command also paid an advocacy visit to the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, HRM Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi.
Commending the various commands for their efforts, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the officers for balancing drug supply reduction with demand reduction strategies across the country.
