The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced a major breakthrough in its war against drug trafficking and illegal arms movement, seizing narcotics worth over ₦3.4 billion and intercepting 942 explosives headed for Zamfara State.
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that the explosives were uncovered on Saturday, May 3, along the Kaduna-Zaria Expressway during a routine patrol. The items, concealed in a sack inside a commercial vehicle from Nasarawa, led to the arrest of a 30-year-old suspect, Nura Sani Muhammad, also known as Nura Hariji.
The agency also recorded massive drug seizures in Lagos and Port Harcourt, including 3.5 million pills of opioids and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup. The Port Harcourt Port Complex alone accounted for the seizure of 2 million pills of tafrodol 225mg and the entire consignment of codeine syrup during a joint container inspection on April 29.
In Lagos, operatives recovered 1.5 million pills of a controlled opioid from suspect Olarenwaju Wahab at Alaba-Rago, Ojo. Investigations led to a residence in Victoria Garden City, Lekki, where the alleged source, Obinna Kenneth, remains at large.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, 42 parcels of “Canadian Loud” cannabis weighing 20kg were found hidden in tins of chocolate and beverages on a British Airways flight from Canada. Three suspects, including Monsurat Ewawunmi Lawson, were arrested between April 30 and May 3 in connection with the shipment.
A separate operation on May 2 led to the arrest of Bobby Morris Osas at Lagos Airport while attempting to travel to Italy with 8,130 pills of tramadol. Another attempt to send tramadol and cannabis to Iraq disguised as body cream through a courier service was thwarted.
In Kano, a five-member syndicate was busted at Dangoro market with 21.6kg of skunk. Edo State officers intercepted a drug-laden vehicle from Onitsha bound for Auchi, recovering over 314,000 pills of various opioids and syrups. Similar seizures were made in Anambra and Niger States, leading to multiple arrests.
The agency also confirmed the arrest of 52-year-old Dominic Chiegozie Obijiaku, a drug kingpin linked to the July 2024 seizure of over 2.6 million tramadol pills at the Apapa seaport. A follow-up search at his Lekki residence yielded 51 wraps of Canadian Loud.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the efforts of officers across the country, emphasizing the importance of balanced enforcement and public education under the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative.
