Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have carried out a series of successful raids, seizing large quantities of illicit drugs and apprehending multiple suspects across Nigeria.
In a midnight operation on January 11, 2025, NDLEA officers intercepted a 40ft trailer loaded with 2,217.6 kilograms of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis, at an abandoned fuel station in the Kagini area of Abuja. The trailer, which had been loaded in Edo State, was set for distribution to several northern states. Six vehicles, including Toyota vans, cars, and a Hilux truck, were also seized during the raid, and 42-year-old Isaac Monday Desmond was arrested in connection with the operation.
In another raid in Abuja, NDLEA agents arrested two suspects, Anthony Nnamdi, 42, and Abba Ali, 27, in Nyanya. The operation led to the recovery of 1.398 kilograms of cocaine and a precursor substance used in making crack cocaine.
Meanwhile, in Lagos, NDLEA officers intercepted a shipment of cocaine concealed inside face cream containers. The cargo, bound for Australia, contained 20 wraps of cocaine weighing 330 grams.
The NDLEA also foiled a significant drug shipment in Rivers State, where officers, working with Customs and other security agencies, discovered 338,200 bottles of codeine-based syrup in two containers. The shipment, valued at over N1.1 billion, was intercepted at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex on January 9 and 10, 2025.
Additionally, the NDLEA arrested Bariu Aliu, a traditional chief priest involved in drug trafficking, in connection with the recovery of 2,760 kilograms of skunk in Lagos last year. Aliu, who had been on the run for several months, was apprehended after a coordinated manhunt.
Further operations led to the arrest of Habibu Ya’u, 23, in Kano, where officers seized 45 blocks of cannabis and 40,800 opioid pills.
The NDLEA’s continued efforts to curb drug trafficking and abuse also included widespread War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities across schools, worship centers, and communities throughout the country.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman and CEO of NDLEA, commended the agency’s personnel for their diligence and operational successes. He acknowledged the importance of their balanced approach to reducing both drug supply and demand in the fight against drug abuse in Nigeria.
