The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted substantial consignments of drugs hidden in various items, including shoe soles and hair attachments. These shipments, en route to destinations in the United States, United Kingdom, and Cyprus, were discovered at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos and at several courier facilities across the city.
The seizure was made as a result of NDLEA carrying out extensive anti-drug operations in recent days.
According to the spokesman of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi in a statement, on October 12, NDLEA operatives seized 2,118 pills of tramadol concealed within the soles of 13 pairs of shoes destined for Cyprus. A subsequent follow-up operation led to the arrest of Okenwa Kelvin Uchenna in Enugu on October 24, where additional 380 tramadol tablets, N968,880 in cash, and a Toyota Avalon car were also confiscated. On the same day, 293 ampoules of promethazine and pentazocine injections, along with 1.690kg of cannabis and tramadol tablets hidden in hair attachments and shoe soles bound for the United States, United Kingdom, and Oman, were intercepted at three Lagos-based courier firms.
Further, during collaborative inspections with the Nigeria Customs Service at Tincan and Onne seaports between October 22 and 23, NDLEA officers seized 26.25 million tramadol pills and 508,400 bottles of codeine-based syrup valued at approximately N16.68 billion. The inspections also revealed additional contraband, including 10 million tablets of Toradol Benzhexol, 700kg of methamphetamine in plastic drums, and 56 parcels of Loud (a potent cannabis variant) weighing 28kg, smuggled in a container from Canada. A suspect, Tsolaye Eburajolo, was arrested in Okota, Lagos, in connection with the cannabis shipment. NDLEA officers rejected a bribe of N10 million intended to secure his release, which has been recorded as evidence for his prosecution.
On October 25, NDLEA raided the Igbo-Igunuko shrine near Alfa Beach in Ajah, Lagos, where they uncovered 2,760kg of Ghanaian Loud cannabis, leading to the arrest of suspects Gbenga Abiodun and Sunday Abiodun. That same day, another suspect, Ademola Oyelakin, was apprehended along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway with 770kg of cannabis.
In Lekki, Lagos, NDLEA officers also discovered an underground drug storage concealed beneath the bedroom floor of suspect Muhammad Warnos Abdullahi. The stash included 11,786 pills of tramadol, molly, rohypnol, and diazepam, along with 64 bottles of codeine syrup. To avoid detection, Abdullahi had placed a locked iron cover over the storage space, topped with a rug and a mattress.
Additionally, NDLEA made significant seizures across other states. In Plateau, agents arrested Fadan Bindom, 39, at Pilgani village with 65.85kg of cannabis and 18 grams of tramadol, and Sunday Agbata, 42, in Jos South LGA with 5,830 tablets and ampoules of bromazepam, diazepam, and pentazocine. In Abuja, a known drug distributor, Umar Muhammed, 40, was arrested on October 21 after a consignment of 198.5kg of cannabis was traced to him at the Wuse market. In Edo, 640kg of cannabis concealed among vegetables was recovered, leading to the arrest of Austin Oruamen, 27, while in Osun, Adereti Kazeem, 35, was detained with 133kg of cannabis at Ile-Ife.
The NDLEA has also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaigns, reaching schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities nationwide. Recent efforts included educational lectures at institutions such as Government Girls Secondary School in Sokoto, St. Mary College in Awka, and Community Model Arabic College in Katsina, among others.
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended officers across various states for their dedication to intercepting these drug shipments and emphasized the agency’s commitment to reducing both drug supply and demand across Nigeria.
