The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has obtained an interim forfeiture order on 17 shipping containers containing illicit opioids valued at over N33.6 billion, in what authorities have described as a significant setback for drug trafficking syndicates operating through Nigerian seaports.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi.
According to the agency, the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt granted the order following an ex parte motion filed in suit number FHC/PH/MISC/25/2026.
Babafemi stated that the containers were intercepted at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State, between April and September 2025.
They were found to contain large quantities of controlled substances, including Tramadol, Tafrodol, Tapentadol, Carisoprodol, as well as more than 2.4 million bottles of Codeine Syrup.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Adamu Mohammed ordered the interim forfeiture of the seized consignments.
The judge ruled: “An order is hereby made forfeiting in the interim to the Federal Government of Nigeria seventeen shipping containers containing a total of three hundred and sixty-five thousand, six hundred and seventy-five kilograms of various types of psychotropic substances illegally imported into Nigeria through the Onne Sea Port, Onne, Eleme, Rivers State by unknown persons.”
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He further directed that, “Custody and possession of the said containers and their respective contents are hereby vested in the Applicant pending the final determination of this suit.”
Reacting to the court’s decision, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the ruling as a major victory in the fight against drug cartels.
“This is not just a seizure; it is a total dispossession of the resources the drug cartels intended to use in destroying the lives of our youths and funding further criminality,” Marwa said.
He added, “By stripping the criminal syndicates of assets worth over N33.6 billion, we have struck at the heart of their operations.
This sends a clear message that the Nigerian state will not allow the proceeds of death to circulate to fund terrorism and other forms of criminality.”
Marwa also commended the judiciary for its support in strengthening anti-drug operations, stressing that swift judicial action remains essential in tackling trafficking networks.
He praised officers of the Onne Port Command for their vigilance, alongside other security agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service for their collaboration during the operation.
The NDLEA chief further acknowledged international partners for providing intelligence support, reiterating the agency’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks nationwide.