Cocaine, Tramadol Consignments Concealed In Vehicle Side Mirrors Intercepted At Lagos Airport

OPERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of cocaine and tramadol 225mg concealed in 71 vehicle side mirrors being sent to Libreville, Gabon, through the export shed of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

Not fewer than three suspects linked to the cargo have already been arrested in follow-up operations.

The first batch of the consignment, consisting of 57,420 pills of tramadol 225mg and 57 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.60kg, was intercepted in cargo destined for Gabon on Air Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday, 19th July 2025.

A popular cargo agent, Ihekweme Osinachi Benedict, handling the shipment, was immediately arrested.

Further investigation led to the arrest of another suspect, Uzochukwu Godspower Chukwurah, on Sunday, 20th July.

Eleven parcels of cocaine, with a total weight of 1kg, were later recovered from four additional side mirrors being prepared for export, found in the home of Uzochukwu on Monday, 21st July, bringing the total number of cocaine parcels to 68, weighing 2.60 kilograms.

In a related development, NDLEA operatives on Friday, 1st August, arrested a businesswoman, Mrs Nwafor Roseann Nneka, at her shop within the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, Lagos, following the interception of 100 grams of cocaine and 300 grams of phenacetin, a cutting agent, concealed in ladies’ lipsticks destined for Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, through the export shed of Lagos airport on 10th July 2025.

Two cargo agents linked to the shipment had been arrested earlier, before the eventual arrest of Nneka, who runs the criminal trade as a family business with her husband, Remigus Nwafor, currently on the run. In her statement, Mrs Nwafor admitted she purchased the lipsticks used to conceal the illicit drugs while her husband handled the actual concealment.

In Abuja, the nation’s Federal Capital Territory, NDLEA operatives conducting intelligence-led stop-and-search operations in Gwarimpa, Jahi, and Galadimawa areas of the FCT on Wednesday, 30th July, arrested three dispatch riders: Sabo Sule, 24; Samuel Nnamdi, 28; and Idris Jibrin, 28, for distributing illicit substances around the city.

A total of 149.8 grams of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, was recovered from them. Two other suspects, Aliyu Abubakar, 25, and Adekunle Agbabiaka, 30, were arrested along Abaji-Gwagwalada Expressway with 91.1kg of skunk, a strain of cannabis, on Saturday, 2nd August.

In Lagos, NDLEA officers acting on intelligence on Saturday, 2nd August, arrested Joseph Michael with 3.3 kilograms of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, in Mushin, while Ibrahim Sulaiman was nabbed in the Iwaya area of Yaba with 16.5 litres of skuchies on Friday, 1st August.

No fewer than 100,000 tramadol capsules were seized from a suspect, Hussein Yusuf, 37, at an NDLEA checkpoint along Vandeikya-Ogoja Road in Benue State on Friday, 1st August, while operatives in Edo State on the same day raided a warehouse in Ekpoma where a suspect, William Alabi, 44, was arrested and 233.5kg of skunk recovered.

In Borno State, NDLEA operatives at the arrival hall of Muhammadu Buhari International Airport (MBIAM), Maiduguri, on Friday, 1st August, intercepted a consignment of 160 tramadol pills concealed in footwear by a 38-year-old passenger, Umar Aminu, who was promptly arrested.

While NDLEA operatives in Ogun State on Friday, 1st August, raided the Oja Odan area and arrested a female suspect, Yahaya Aminat Seyi, with 7,218 pills of opioids, mainly tramadol, their counterparts in Oyo State nabbed Oladeji Saka, 54, with 77.5 kilograms of skunk at Asanike, Ibadan, just as another suspect, Benson Izah, 40, was arrested in Abraka, Delta State with 12.5kg of skunk, 1kg of tramadol, and 14.4 litres of codeine.

In Bayelsa State, NDLEA officers on Friday, 1st August, arrested 52-year-old Chief Emeka Opara and Onuoha Chidinma, 25, along Tantua Road, Amassoma, where a total of 41,705 tramadol capsules, among other assorted opioids, were recovered from their shop and residence. Meanwhile, a suspect, Bashir Gambo, 30, was nabbed at Yar Yasa town, Tudun Wada LGA, Kano State, with 61kg of skunk.

Two suspects, Kabiru Ayinde, 40, and Roqeeb Adekanmbi, 25, were on Monday, 28th July, arrested at Ile-Ogbo area of Iwo town, Osun State, where 90kg of skunk, 36.3 grams of methamphetamine, a Toyota bus marked SMK 755 YF, and ₦228,200.00 cash were recovered from them.

Similarly, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lectures to students and staff of Ciroma Ibrahim Islamiyya School, Potiskum, Yobe; Sultan Maccido Institute for Quran and General Studies, Wamakko, Sokoto; metro drivers of Borno Express Transport Services, Maiduguri, Borno State; and worshippers at Seventh-day Adventist Church, Abakpa Nike, Enugu State, while the Osun State command of NDLEA paid a WADA advocacy visit to Oluwo of Iwo land, His Imperial Majesty Oba Abdurasheed Adewale Akanbi.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, MBIAM, FCT, Lagos, Edo, Oyo, Delta, Bayelsa, Benue, Kano and Osun Commands for the arrests, seizures and their dexterity, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.