In a major breakthrough, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted a consignment of cocaine hidden within religious books destined for Saudi Arabia. The operation, carried out on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at a courier company in Lagos, uncovered 20 parcels of cocaine weighing a total of 500 grams. The illicit drugs were meticulously buried within the pages of 20 sets of religious books.
The interception was made by officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) during a routine search of export cargos. The agency also reported the discovery of five parcels of “Loud” — a potent strain of cannabis — weighing 2.8 kilograms, hidden in a carton arriving from the United States at another courier company in Lagos on the same day. These seizures highlight the growing trend of traffickers using creative methods to move illicit substances across borders.
Arrest of Bandits’ Drug Supplier with Illicit Substances Tied to Body
In a related operation in Kano, NDLEA operatives arrested 22-year-old Muhammad Mohammed, a suspected supplier of illicit drugs to bandits. The suspect was intercepted on Sunday, April 13, while traveling along the Bichi-Kano road towards Katsina. A total of 277 ampoules of pentazocine injection were found tied around his thigh and private parts using Sellotape, indicating the desperate lengths traffickers are willing to go to evade detection.
On the same day, a second suspect, Mohammed Abdulrahman Abdulaziz, 43, was arrested at Research Rimin Kebe area of Nasarawa, Kano. He was found with 68 blocks of skunk, weighing 30 kilograms. These arrests mark significant steps in cutting off the supply of drugs to criminal elements fueling insecurity in Northern Nigeria.
NDLEA made Massive Drug Seizures in Bayelsa, Kebbi, and Other States
Further expanding its anti-drug operations, the NDLEA raided a house along Major General Isaiah Allison Street in Opolo, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Wednesday, April 16. The raid led to the recovery of 557.2 kilograms of skunk, 5.6 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 29.8 grams of heroin. Four suspects—Sarimiye Suwa Kurtis, 46; Roland Prosper, 34; Sarimiye Tare Paul, 45; and Fidelis Ugbesla, 46—were arrested at the scene.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Lagos arrested a driver, Ismail Abdullahi, in the Surulere area after discovering 1,100 kilograms of skunk in his delivery van on Thursday, April 17. In Kaduna, a raid on the hideout of Ike Ani, 30, in Zaria yielded 31,950 pills of tramadol 225mg and diazepam, adding to the week’s impressive haul. Similarly, Kebbi Command officers recovered 97 kilograms of skunk hidden in bags of charcoal from a vehicle coming from Benin Republic, leading to the arrest of three suspects.
Cannabis Farms Destroyed, More Arrests at Tincan Port and Across Nigeria
The NDLEA’s operations extended into forested areas, as two cannabis farms covering 1.487 hectares were destroyed in Egbeta Forest, Ovia North East LGA, Edo State. The operation resulted in the destruction of over 3,717 kilograms of cannabis plants and the recovery of an additional 136.5 kilograms of processed cannabis.
At the Tincan Seaport in Lagos, officers arrested Basorun Usman Kayode, 40, linked to a 2023 seizure of 107 kilograms of Loud imported from Canada after being on the run for two years. Another suspect, Dauda Yakubu, known for distributing illicit drugs within the seaport community, was also apprehended. Elsewhere, Okafor Marcel, 48, was arrested in Abatete, Anambra State, with 11.5 kilograms of skunk, and Ajala Mercy, 27, was caught in Osogbo, Osun State, with 43 liters of skushi, a dangerous cocktail of black currant, cannabis, and opioids.
WADA Advocacy Campaigns and Leadership Commendations
Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy programs across Nigeria. Sensitization lectures were delivered at several institutions, including St. Michael Anglican Primary School, Epe, Lagos; Community Grammar School, Ipoti Ekiti; College of Education, Minna, Niger State; and markets and motor parks in Osun, Cross River, and Anambra States.
Commending the efforts of his officers, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the Commands in DOGI, Kano, Lagos, Kaduna, Kebbi, Osun, Edo, and Tincan Ports for their dedication to curbing drug trafficking. He emphasized the importance of balancing supply reduction and demand reduction strategies to achieve lasting success in Nigeria’s fight against drug abuse.
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