The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking and organized crime, confiscating illicit drugs worth over N3.4 billion and uncovering 942 explosives in a series of coordinated raids across Nigeria.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi revealed on Sunday that large-scale seizures were made in Lagos and Rivers states, including more than 3.5 million opioid pills and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup.
A joint inspection on April 29 at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne involving NDLEA operatives, Customs, and other security agencies resulted in the discovery of two million tafrodol pills (225mg) and 163,000 bottles of codeine inside a container flagged for inspection.
In Lagos, a separate operation led to the recovery of 1.5 million pills of a controlled opioid from Olarenwaju Wahab in the Alaba-Rago area. Investigations linked the shipment to Q104B Road 25, Victoria Garden City, Lekki, the home of Obinna Kenneth, who is currently at large.
In Kaduna State, NDLEA agents intercepted a commercial vehicle along the Kaduna–Zaria expressway on May 3. Inside a concealed sack were 942 explosives. The driver, 30-year-old Nura Sani Muhammad (alias Nura Hariji), was arrested.
At Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, between April 30 and May 3, officers intercepted 42 parcels of Canadian Loud a strong cannabis variant smuggled in food tins aboard a British Airways flight from Canada. Three suspects, including Monsurat Lawson, were arrested in connection.
On May 2, businessman Bobby Morris Osas was arrested at the Lagos airport en route to Italy with over 8,000 tramadol pills.
Earlier, on April 28, NDLEA operatives stopped an attempt to export 104 grams of tramadol and skunk hidden in body cream jars to Iraq via a courier company.
Following a 10-month investigation, the agency arrested Dominic Chiegozie Obijiaku, Managing Director of Ovidaq International Ltd, in connection to a 2.6 million tramadol pill shipment seized at Apapa Port in July 2024. A search of his Lekki residence turned up 51 wraps of Canadian Loud weighing 34 grams.
Further arrests and seizures were made in Kano, Edo, Anambra, and Niger states, where NDLEA confiscated significant quantities of opioids, codeine syrup, pentazocine injections, and cannabis.
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