NDLEA Arrests Two Women With Over 108kg Drugs in Edo, Intercepts ‘Green Tea’ Drug Shipment at Lagos Airport

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested two young women in Edo State with a staggering quantity of illicit substances, further underlining the scale of the drug menace in Nigeria. The suspects, identified as Favour Joy and Joy Igwe, were apprehended on Tuesday, June 3, at the Ikpoba Hill area of Benin City.

The drugs recovered from the suspects include 106.57kg of skunk, 1kg of Loud, 800 grams of Colorado, and 302 grams of methamphetamine. NDLEA officials say the arrest followed days of intelligence-gathering and surveillance, leading to the successful bust. The seized substances are all highly potent and addictive drugs commonly abused by youths across the country.

According to the agency, the operation in Edo is part of a coordinated crackdown on drug distribution networks operating in key urban centres. The suspects are currently in custody and are expected to face charges in court following the conclusion of investigations.

66 Parcels of ‘Loud’ Camouflaged as Green Tea Seized at Lagos Airport

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, intercepted a drug shipment disguised as green tea. The consignment, consisting of 66 parcels of Loud (a potent strain of cannabis), weighed 62.20kg and was concealed in packages labeled as green tea.

The seizure was made on Thursday, June 5, following three weeks of surveillance. The consignment had arrived on May 11 from Thailand via the United Arab Emirates aboard an Emirates Airlines flight. Based on credible intelligence, the NDLEA watch-listed the shipment and eventually carried out a joint inspection with other stakeholders.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), the NDLEA Chairman/CEO, commended the MMIA command for their meticulous work, noting that traffickers continue to devise deceptive methods to beat security but assured the public that the agency remains several steps ahead.

Major Drug Interception Along Lekki-Ajah Axis and Kaduna Highway

In a separate operation on Monday, June 2, NDLEA operatives intercepted a massive 1,665kg consignment of skunk along the Lekki-Ajah expressway in Lagos. Two suspects—Gidado Abdulrasaq Ayinde and Obanla Oluwafemi—were arrested during the operation, which disrupted what appears to be a large-scale local distribution network.

Similarly, on Tuesday, June 3, Kaduna State Command officers arrested Goodluck Nnaemeka, 29, along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway. Nnaemeka was caught with 612 bottles of codeine syrup and 2,970 pills of flunitrazepam, both known to be abused substances. On the same day, a wanted drug dealer, Kabiru Musa (alias KB), was apprehended at Kurmin Mashi. Earlier, 25.7kg of skunk had been seized from his base.

These seizures and arrests in Lagos and Kaduna further underscore the agency’s extensive reach and resolve to dismantle both inter-state and local supply chains.

NDLEA Uncovers Drugs Hidden in Car Tyre in Edo

Along Auchi Road in Edo State, NDLEA operatives recovered 9kg of Loud from a hidden compartment inside the spare tyre of an Audi station wagon marked AAA 975 XU. The driver, Atari Israel, 45, was taken into custody and is currently under investigation.

This particular method of concealment highlights how traffickers are continually evolving in their efforts to evade detection. NDLEA’s proactive field intelligence and vehicle search protocols proved critical in foiling the smuggling attempt.

Agency officials revealed that the checkpoint along Auchi Road is a strategic surveillance point due to its history of being exploited by smugglers transporting drugs across states.

NDLEA Expands War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) Campaign Across Nigeria

Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization programs nationwide in the past week. In Katsina, a lecture was held at the Sir Usman Nagogo College of Arabic and Islamic Studies. Similar outreach sessions were held at schools in Ebonyi, Cross River, Lagos, and Anambra states.

Additionally, the NDLEA’s Zone 13 Command visited the traditional ruler of Nembe Kingdom, Dr. Edmund Dakoru (Mingi XII), in Bayelsa State as part of WADA’s advocacy push.

Chairman Marwa emphasized the need for a balanced strategy combining supply reduction and demand reduction. He lauded officers for their recent successes and reiterated that the agency will intensify both its enforcement and preventive education activities.