The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized over N3.4 billion worth of opioids and codeine syrup in a series of coordinated operations across Lagos, Port Harcourt, and other parts of Nigeria, the agency confirmed on Sunday.
The bulk of the opioids seizures occurred on Tuesday, April 29, at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, where officers from the NDLEA, Nigeria Customs Service, and other security agencies jointly intercepted two million pills of Tafrodol 225mg and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup from a watch-listed container.
In Lagos, another 1.5 million pills of a controlled opioid were recovered from a suspect, Olarenwaju Wahab, in the Alaba-Rago area of Ojo. The NDLEA traced the origin of the consignment to a residence at Victoria Garden City, Lekki, belonging to a man identified as Obinna Kenneth, who is currently at large.
Further operations at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, led to the interception of 42 parcels of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis weighing 20kg. The drugs were concealed in tins of chocolate, beverages, and beans and arrived via a British Airways flight from Canada. Three suspects, including the alleged receiver Monsurat Ewawunmi Lawson, were arrested between April 30 and May 3.
Also at MMIA, a businessman identified as Bobby Morris Osas was apprehended on May 2 while attempting to board a flight to Italy. A search of his luggage uncovered 8,130 pills of tramadol in varying strengths.
In another thwarted smuggling attempt, NDLEA operatives on April 28 intercepted a package containing tramadol and cannabis concealed in body cream containers, destined for Iraq via a Lagos-based courier service.
Meanwhile, along the Kaduna-Zaria expressway, NDLEA officers intercepted a commercial vehicle traveling from Nasarawa to Zamfara on May 3. A search revealed 942 explosives hidden in a sack, leading to the arrest of 30-year-old Nura Sani Muhammad, also known as Nura Hariji. NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) has directed that the suspect and exhibits be handed over to the appropriate security agency.
In Kano, five members of a drug syndicate led by Aminu Musa, alias Kadagi, were arrested on April 30 at Dangoro Market. Officers recovered 50 blocks of skunk weighing 21.6kg.
Similar arrests and seizures occurred in Edo, Anambra, and Niger states. In Edo, operatives intercepted a Toyota bus carrying over 314,000 pills of opioids and hundreds of bottles of codeine syrup. In Anambra, NDLEA officers recovered over 50,000 capsules of tramadol and other controlled drugs from a commercial bus, arresting one suspect, Chinedu Eneh. In Niger State, a truck was found carrying thousands of tramadol capsules and pentazocine injections; one suspect, Yusuf Abubakar, was detained.
After nearly a year of investigation, the NDLEA also arrested a wanted drug kingpin, 52-year-old Dominic Chiegozie Obijiaku, Managing Director of Ovidaq International Ltd, in connection with a 2024 tramadol importation case involving 2.6 million pills. A follow-up search at his Lekki residence yielded additional cannabis.
In parallel with its enforcement activities, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaign, with recent outreach conducted in educational institutions across Kano and Katsina states.
Commending the agency’s operatives for their efforts, NDLEA Chairman Marwa praised their “balanced approach” in tackling both drug supply and demand reduction nationwide.
