Omotayo Adigun
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the seizure of illegal drugs valued at over ₦3.4 billion in coordinated operations across Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Kano, Edo, Anambra, and Niger states. These operations resulted in multiple arrests, including a major drug kingpin following a ten-month investigation.
In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, NDLEA operatives, in collaboration with Customs Service and other security agencies, intercepted two million pills of tramadol 225mg and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup during a joint examination of a container at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne.
In Lagos, a substantial seizure of 1,500,000 pills of a controlled opioid was made from a suspect, Olarenwaju Wahab, in the Alaba-Rago area of Ojo. Investigations traced the consignment to a residence in Victoria Garden City, Lekki, owned by one Obinna, who remains at large.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted 42 parcels weighing 20kg of Canadian Loud, a high-grade cannabis strain. The drugs were ingeniously concealed within tins of chocolate, Milo beverage, white kidney beans, and dark red kidney beans in a cargo that arrived on a British Airways flight from Canada. Three individuals, including the intended recipient, Monsurat Ewawunmi Lawson, were apprehended.
A businessman, Bobby Morris Osas, was arrested at the Lagos airport while attempting to board a Turkish Airlines flight to Italy with 8,130 pills of tramadol in varying strengths (225mg, 200mg, and 100mg) concealed in his luggage.
Furthermore, NDLEA officers at a courier company in Lagos thwarted an attempt to ship 104 grams of tramadol and skunk disguised in bottles of body cream destined for Iraq.
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In Kaduna, a significant security risk was neutralized when NDLEA operatives intercepted a commercial vehicle en route to Zamfara State and discovered 942 concealed explosives. The suspect, Nura Sani Muhammad (alias Nura Hariji), 30, was promptly arrested.
A major breakthrough followed a ten-month painstaking investigation, culminating in the arrest of Dominic Chiegozi Obijiaku, 52, the Managing Director of Ovidaq International Ltd. His arrest was linked to the importation of a massive consignment of 2,616,060 pills of tramadol 225mg, which was intercepted at the Apapa seaport in Lagos on July 28, 2024. A follow-up operation at his residence in Lekki led to the seizure of an additional 51 wraps of Canadian Loud weighing 34 grams.
In Kano, NDLEA operatives arrested five members of a drug syndicate led by Aminu Musa (a.k.a Kadagi) at Dangoro market, seizing 50 blocks of skunk weighing 21.6kg.
Intelligence-driven operations in Edo state’s Uromi area resulted in the interception of a Toyota bus transporting 314,020 pills of tramadol, rophynol, diazepam, exol5; 638 bottles of codeine syrup; and 200 ampoules of pentazocine injection. Dare Adeyemo was arrested in connection with this seizure.
At the Agu-Awka junction in Anambra state, NDLEA operatives intercepted a Mazda commercial bus and recovered 50,400 capsules of tramadol, 500 tablets of co-codamol, and 300 ampoules of pentazocine injection. Chinedu Eneh was arrested.
In Niger state, a Mitsubishi Canter truck was intercepted along the Kontagora-Mokwa road, leading to the seizure of 5,500 capsules of tramadol and 2,300 ampoules of pentazocine injection, and the arrest of Yusuf Abubakar, 30.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, commended the officers across all commands for their balanced approach in drug supply and demand reduction efforts and directed the immediate transfer of all suspects and exhibits to the appropriate security agencies for further legal proceedings.