Attempts by international drug syndicates to export cocaine, methamphetamine, and opioids from Nigeria to the United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey, and Qatar have been thwarted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
A series of intelligence-driven operations resulted in significant arrests and seizures at Lagos and Abuja airports.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, 13 parcels of cocaine weighing 4.40kg destined for the UK were intercepted on 5th November 2024. The consignments were traced to Ekeocha Anayo Nelson, a businessman who was apprehended on 8th November.
The arrested suspects
On 11th November, NDLEA operatives arrested another suspect, Adegbite Solomon, at Lagos airport. Solomon, alias “Obama,” was attempting to smuggle tramadol, rohypnol, and codeine to Italy disguised in food packages. He admitted to a history of illegal migration through the Mediterranean.
In another operation, Anoke Kingsley Roomy was arrested on 15th November at Lagos airport. He was found with 1,100 tramadol pills concealed in his luggage, bound for Istanbul, Turkey.
Similar success was recorded in Abuja, where NDLEA agents intercepted 1.8kg of methamphetamine in a hotel room raid at Lugbe, apprehending two suspects preparing to travel to Qatar.
Following weeks of surveillance, a Lagos-based operation on 15th November resulted in the arrest of Akande Moruf Olasunkanmi and the seizure of another 1.8kg of methamphetamine at his residence in Surulere. This exemplifies NDLEA’s sustained pressure on traffickers.
On 16th November, NDLEA officers intercepted a trans-border trafficker smuggling 50,000 tramadol pills into Lagos from Ghana. The drugs were hidden in a bus owned by GUO Transport Company, intercepted along the Lagos-Badagry expressway.
Raids in Edo State led to the recovery of 997kg of cannabis in multiple locations. These included a bush path in Oghada forest, Ofosu forest in Ovia South West LGA, and a residence in Otuo community, Owan East LGA.
Elsewhere, patrols and intelligence efforts yielded similar successes. Along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Ifejimagha Chinonso was arrested with 88.3kg of cannabis. In Kano, Ahmed Goni was apprehended with over 65,000 tramadol capsules, while arrests in Kwara, Imo, and Oyo states added to the growing list of seizures.
The NDLEA’s efforts extend beyond enforcement. Anti-drug sensitisation campaigns under the “War Against Drug Abuse” (WADA) initiative targeted schools, communities, and workplaces nationwide during the week.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers across various commands for their balanced approach to curbing drug supply and demand, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to its mandate.
