Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted a shipment of cannabis, also known as “Loud,” concealed in a duvet and destined for the United Kingdom. The operation took place at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, January 23, 2025.
The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that six parcels of the psychoactive substance, weighing 3.5 kilograms, were discovered during the inspection. Two suspects, Adakole Sunday and Austin Balogun, were immediately arrested in connection with the consignment.
Austin Balogun, identified as the agent who arranged the shipment, reportedly confessed that he was paid ₦700,000 to facilitate the cargo to the UK. According to the NDLEA, Balogun used part of the payment for export handling charges and the rest for personal expenses, including securing accommodation.
The NDLEA further revealed that the operation extended beyond the airport, with officers uncovering additional criminal activities in other parts of Lagos. In a raid conducted in the Ikorodu area, operatives discovered a hideout where illegal drugs, including “skuchies” — a psychoactive substance made from black currant, cannabis, and opioids — were produced. The raid also yielded an alarming cache of weapons, including locally made rifles, pistols, and ammunition.
Similarly, another raid in the Akala area of Mushin on January 19 led to the seizure of 47 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, and 25.46 kilograms of nitrous oxide, commonly known as “laughing gas.”
Beyond Lagos, the NDLEA reported successful operations in other states. In Ekiti, a 26-year-old suspect, Adepoju Taiwo, was arrested on January 23 with 1.95 kilograms of Canadian Loud. In Kwara State’s Moro Local Government Area, Auwal Sani was apprehended on January 20 with 50,000 pills of tramadol weighing 36.56 kilograms.
In Kano State, a Nigerien national, Abubakar Lami, and two others were arrested in Gadar Tamburawa with 13.1 kilograms of skunk and 125 liters of “suck and die,” a new psychoactive substance. Additionally, a cannabis plantation was located and destroyed in Dawakin Kudu, with a suspect, Sabo Ali Muhammad, arrested in connection with the farm.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (retd.), commended the officers for their dedication and reiterated the agency’s unwavering commitment to combating drug trafficking and substance abuse. The NDLEA vowed to sustain its operations nationwide to dismantle drug networks and promote a drug-free society.
