Tag: NDLEA

…destroys 28,000kg skunk in Edo forest

…recovers 722,875 pills of opioids in Borno, Gombe, Taraba raids

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis concealed in microwaves imported from Thailand and wraps of cocaine built into ladies’ lipsticks going to Guinea at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos.

Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, said the Loud consignment was part of a consolidated cargo that came in two tranches on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Bangkok, Thailand through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

According to the statement, based on credible intelligence, the cargo was subjected to thorough search during which 23 parcels of loud weighing 11.3kg concealed in new microwaves were recovered on Monday 7th July 2025. 

Babafemi said a suspect Ezenwegbu Chike has been arrested in connection with the seizure.

Also according to the statement, barely a week after a total of 420grams of cocaine factory fitted in 84 pieces of female lipsticks heading to the UK were seized at a courier company in Lagos, NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the Lagos airport have intercepted another consignment of cocaine built into ladies’ lipsticks as part of a cargo containing hair attachments, face powder, and other items heading to Malabo, Guinea.

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Babafemi said no less than 400grams of cocaine and phenacetine, a cutting agent, were recovered from the lipsticks when dismantled while a businessman at the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo area of Lagos, Ezeikwelume Prince Afam was arrested on Friday 11th July in connection with the seizure.

He added that meanwhile, a notorious drug kingpin Okechukwu Izugha (a.k.a Okey Omeogo) has been arrested in Lagos by operatives of a Special Operations Unit of NDLEA after 12 months of going into hiding. He was nabbed on Wednesday 9th July at his wife’s shop in Ijesha market.

The statement reads, “Izugha came under NDLEA radar on 7th August 2024 after a 9kg cocaine was recovered from a suspect Obiora Joseph Agudosi at a motor park in Orile, Lagos while going to deliver the consignment in the southeast. Izugha was identified as the owner of the seized drug. 

“In the course of investigating the kingpin and his network, his wife Maureen Izugha was arrested with 500grams of cocaine at her beverages store in Ijesha market on 21st January 2025. She was thereafter arraigned in court, convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment. 

“Unknown to him that NDLEA was still on his trail, the wanted kingpin came out of his hiding and was promptly arrested last Wednesday.

In Edo state, no fewer than 28,054.053 kilograms of skunk, a local strain of cannabis, were destroyed on three farms measuring over 11 hectares at Ewere Uzebba forest in Owan West local government area on Tuesday 8th July, while 82kg of already processed cannabis was recovered from the location. 

“The NDLEA operatives who went for the operation however came under gun attack from armed members of the cartel on their way out of the forest. They were able to repel the attack and came out unhurt while one of their operational vehicles was riddled with bullets.

“In Lagos, 1,400 compressed blocks of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis, weighing 700kg and a Ford delivery truck marked JJJ 698 YJ were recovered at Okun -Ajah Beach, while two suspects: Innocent Ejidiobo and Friday Paul were nabbed along Ajah -Epe expressway by NDLEA operatives on Friday 11th July. Recovered from them include: 26kg Ghana Loud, 123grams of methamphetamine and 45grams of Molly as well as their delivery van with registration number AJK 191 LG.

“While NDLEA operatives in Borno state on Saturday 12th July arrested Godwin Chimaobi Nwaobi, 42, with 18,759 ampoules of pentazocine, pills of tramadol and rohypnol at Njimtilo, Maiduguri, coming on the heels of the seizure of 10,000 pills of tramadol from another suspect Abdulrahman Bello Ahmadu, 34, on Wednesday 9th July, their counterparts in Gombe state recovered a total of 116,226 pills of tramadol and D-5 from five suspects: Hafiz Bello, 22; Isah Suleman, 48; Kabiru Muhammed, 30; Abdullahi Adamu, 30; and Abel Murna, 25, at Gombe main market and along Gombe-Kano road on Tuesday 8th and Saturday 12th July.

“A suspect, Sabiu Bala was on Thursday 10th July arrested along Okene-Lokoja expressway in Kogi state while conveying 316.600kg skunk, while another suspect Haladu Suleiman, 38, was nabbed by NDLEA operatives with 58.805kg of same substance in Gubuchi area of Ikara LGA, Kaduna state.

“In Taraba state, three suspects: Auwal Ibrahim, 30; Lukman Ibrahim, 18; and Hamza Adamu, 25, were on Saturday 12th July arrested by NDLEA officers at Lanka Viri checkpoint while conveying 577,890 pills of opioids and 1.160kg skunk concealed in tyre compartment of a petrol tanker marked MUB 334 YH. 

“The arrest of the trio on Tuesday 8th July followed credible intelligence. Three other suspects: Shamsudini Abdullahi, 35; Adamu Abdullahi,21; and Magaji Rabo, 26, were nabbed with 48.1kg skunk at Janguza barracks area of Kano state by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 9th July.

“The War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country in the past week. Some of them include: WADA sensitization lecture delivered to students and staff of Word of Promise High School, Calabar, Cross River;

Government Girls Arabic Senior Secondary School, Indabo Wudil, Kano; Community Secondary School, Umundu, Enugu; Okemagba Senior High School, Epe, Lagos; Bishop Gideon Otubelu Memorial College, Ukpo, Anambra; and traditional rulers in Bende area of Abia state, among others.

While commending the officers and men of MMIA, SOU, Edo, Lagos, Taraba, Kano, Kogi, Gombe, Borno and kaduna Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week,

“Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) equally praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.”

…intercepts Saudi, UK-bound cocaine in lipsticks, property title documents

…recovers $17.7million travellers’ cheques in children’s books going to Malaysia

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested a notorious drug kingpin, Ajetsibo Emami, popularly known as ‘Warri Kinsman’, on Saturday, 28th July, 2025, in Ikeja, Lagos.

Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, said Emami was arrested after operatives dismantled his drug trafficking network in a three-day operation, leading to the arrest of three other suspects.

Babafemi said recovered from Emami’s network were 24 jumbo bags containing 681 pouches of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 414.2 kilograms.

According to the statement, the bust of Emami’s drug ring followed credible intelligence on his attempt to move the shipment to the Lekki area of Lagos, from where it will be distributed to other parts of the state and across the country.

Babafemi also said operatives intercepted cocaine consignments concealed in lipsticks and property title documents going to the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, respectively.

He said the illicit drug consignments were recovered from cargos being prepared for shipment at a courier company in Lagos on Thursday, 3rd July 2025, by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) attached to the logistics firm.

He said a total of 420grams of cocaine factory fitted in 84 pieces of female lipsticks heading to the UK were seized, while 280grams of the same Class A drug were uncovered in a property title document (Certificate of Occupancy, C of O) being sent to Saudi Arabia.

Also accordingly to the statement, a businessman, Ajah Johnson Uchenna and his wife, Rosemary Uchenna, along with their two daughters, Stella Uchenna and Ngozi Uchenna, as well as their family friend Okoro Elijah, have been taken into custody after an investigation revealed they run a major illicit drug distribution network in Lagos.

Babafemi said the couple was first arrested on Friday, 13th June, by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) in the Ojo area of the state and transferred to NDLEA along with 277.5kg of skunk.

While they were still being investigated in custody, credible intelligence revealed that the family business was going on in his house, Babafemi said.

This, he said, led to a raid on their home and a packing store where 231kg of the same substance was recovered on Tuesday, 1st July.

He said three persons arrested during the raid include their two daughters: Ngozi Uchenna and Blessing Uchenna, as well as their family friend Okoro Elijah, who was running the family business in the absence of the couple.

The statement reads, “Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos on Wednesday, 2nd July intercepted a frequent flyer, Aburemi Hysent, who specialises in conveying goods for customers from Nigeria to Italy and vice versa.

“He was found to have hidden 7,660 pills of tramadol 225mg and 200mg inside food items packed among other goods he was conveying to Italy. He claimed he was to be paid the sum of 800 euros upon successful delivery of the drug consignment in Italy.

In another interdiction operation at the Lagos airport, a total of 52 pieces of the travelers cheques concealed in children books, worth 17,700,000 Australian dollars, going to Malaysia through Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight were on Friday 4th July intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the airport while a freight agent, Bolarinwa Saheed has been arrested.

“The travellers’ cheques are suspected to be counterfeit, and the suspect will be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for further investigation

“While NDLEA officers at Seme border, Badagry on Saturday 5th July recovered 718 big balls of skunk weighing 359kg from a store in Baba-Pupa area of the border community, operatives on patrol along Okene-Lokoja highway intercepted 10,000 pills of tramadol 225mg and co-codamol as well as 1.050kg Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, leading to the arrest of owners of the way-billed drug consignments: Chinedu Odo, Samuel Ogbonna and Kingsley Ugaji at Jabi park in Abuja during follow-up operations.

“In Osun state, two suspects: Agunbiade Folusho, 40, and Suleiman Dasola, 28, were arrested at Ajegunle area of Osogbo on Thursday, 3rd July, with 13,901 pills and ampoules of different opioids recovered from them, while another suspect, Adebayo Adewale, 50, was nabbed at a patent medicine shop at Arubidi street, Ile-Ife, with 48,205 pills of opioids.

“A raid on a vulcaniser workshop at Akindeko junction, Alekuwodo area of Osogbo on Tuesday 1st July led to the arrest of three suspects: Wasiu Ajadi, 45; Babatunde Jamiu Ojo, 35; and Yusuf Sarafadeen, 39, with 1,250 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 850 pills of tramadol and three bottles of codeine-based syrup.

“Not less than 24,175 kilograms of skunk were destroyed on 9.67 hectares of cannabis farmland at Ikaka, Oke-Ila forest, Osun State, when NDLEA operatives raided the area where seven suspects: Bunmi Adedapo, 41; Adebisi Sodiq, 26; Babatunde Gani, 22; John Sunday, 30; Israel Odabe, 29; Solomon Odabe, 21, and Prosper Odabe, 23, were arrested on Thursday, 3rd July.

“In Borno, 167kg of skunk was recovered at Gamboru-Ngala, while a total of 452kg of the same psychoactive substance was seized at Gadar Tamburawa along Zaria-Kano road with two suspects: Nasuru Saleh and Mustapha Muhammad arrested in connection with the seizure on Thursday, 3rd July.

“While NDLEA operatives on patrol along Abuja-Kaduna expressway recovered 11,000 pills of tramadol 225mg from Sule Ibrahim Sadiq, 30, on Thursday, 3rd July, their counterparts in Sokoto arrested 62-year-old Joseph Onungene in connection with the seizure of 4,800 pills of tramadol 225mg.

“In Kebbi state, operatives raided Bakin Kasuwa Yauri base, where they seized 312kg of skunk and 10,000 tabs of diazepam. The duo of Chigbo Okolo, 52, and Ishaku Musa, 28, were arrested on Saturday, 5th July arrested with 49,930 capsules of tramadol at Mallum, Ardo-Kola local council area of Taraba state.

“In Edo state, NDLEA operatives raided the Ewere forest in Owan West LGA, where they arrested a wanted suspect, Alaba Monday, 49, in one of his cannabis farms with 115kg of processed skunk, while three other suspects: Shamsu Abdullahi, Peter Egboko, and Justin John were nabbed in another farm measuring 2.050201 hectares.

“A 78-year-old suspect, Mike Abeng, was arrested with 14.49kg of skunk and tramadol during a raid by NDLEA operatives at Ofudua, Obubra LGA, Cross River state. Others nabbed with different quantities of illicit substances during the operation include: Oyom Akam, 50; Sylvester Odem, 40; and Moses Ayo, 50, apprehended at Ovonum, Obubra LGA.

“The War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country in the past week. Some of them include: WADA sensitisation lecture delivered to students and staff of Queen of Angels Secondary School, Mgbidi, Awgu, Enugu state; Divine Purpose College, Eyita, Ikorodu, Lagos; Al-Furqan College, Kankia, Katsina and residents of Gomari Binta Suga community, Maiduguri, Borno state, among others.

“While commending the officers and men of DOGI, MMIA, Lagos, Seme, Kogi, Osun, Borno, Kano, Edo, Kaduna, Cross River, Kebbi and Taraba Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.”

…Africa needs to act fast on projected 40% rise in drug use prevalence, Marwa warns

The African Union Commission has emphasised that the formulation of a new action plan on drug control and crime prevention across the continent would be incomplete without the input of Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), citing its pivotal role in regional law enforcement.

This was disclosed on Monday during an assessment visit to the NDLEA’s National Headquarters in Abuja, according to a statement by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

The AU delegation comprised Dr. Olubusayo Akinola, Head of Social Welfare, Drug Control and Crime Prevention; Dr. Abiola Olaleye, Senior Drug Epidemiology and Research Officer; and Prof. Johan Strijdom, Senior Drug Control Consultant.

Their visit focused on evaluating the implementation of the African Union Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention (2019–2025).

Dr. Akinola said, “We’re here to understand the status of implementation of this continental action plan on drug control and crime prevention. We are in the process of re-evaluating and starting another continental action plan that will take us from 2026 to 2030. So, we have identified a few countries to understand how this action plan was actually implemented in the member states. And if there are gaps, and the new and current emerging trends that we can include.

“So, we understand very well the work of NDLEA and we believe that the formulation of the new action plan will not be finalised and concluded until we have inputs from NDLEA Nigeria, because you are basically at the forefront when it comes to law enforcement on the entire continent.”

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The AU Commission delegation commended the NDLEA for its sustained provision of critical and policy-relevant data, which has significantly informed and shaped the work of the Commission over the years.

The visit, according to the delegation, aimed to obtain a comprehensive update on the current status of implementation of national drug control strategies, identify operational and institutional gaps, and explore potential areas for technical assistance, particularly in relation to capacity development, forensic science capabilities, canine detection units, and other strategic enablers of drug control efforts.

Welcoming the delegation, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), emphasised the importance of the mission, stating that he considered it imperative to receive the team personally due to the strategic relevance of their engagement.

“We are particularly pleased that the African Union is giving due weight to the implementation of the continental action plan, not merely as a theoretical exercise, but by undertaking direct field consultations with national counterparts.

“This grounded, evidence-informed approach will undoubtedly result in a more pragmatic and responsive framework for implementation,” he noted.

Marwa highlighted the urgency of addressing the continent’s growing drug challenge, adding that while global projections estimate a 10–11% rise in drug use prevalence, Africa is expected to experience a surge of up to 40%.

“This disparity signals a looming crisis that demands coordinated and accelerated action. We deeply appreciate the AU’s leadership in this space and commend your proactive efforts,” he added.

As parts of efforts to tackle rising substance abuse among youths and other vulnerable groups, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Headquarters Annex, Ikoyi Lagos on Thursday, defied the rainfall to stage a high-impact awareness campaign on some roads in Ikoyi and Victoria Island, Lagos in commemoration of this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

The sensitisation walk led by the Director, NDLEA Seaport Operations, Mrs. Archie-Abia Ibanabo Ogboba, attracted no fewer than 250 participants drawn from different departments of NDLEA, State Security Services, Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Nigeria Police Force, Central Investigation Department (CID Alagbon), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), NGOs, Women Initiative for Advocacy,  Aramex Company, Redstar Express Company, and Cross Country among others.

This year’s theme ”The evidence is clear: Invest in prevention; (break the circle),” formed the thrust of the sensitization campaign, which attracted other key stakeholders and civil society actors.

The event featured a placard walk, dance, and singing across major roads in Ikoyi and Victoria Island while sharing information materials and flyers on drug abuse, bearing impactful messages designed to spark conversations and educate the public. In order to reach a wider audience, the anti-drug campaign messages were delivered in major Nigerian languages of Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, and Pidgin English. Participants also re-echoed the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration and applauded the NDLEA for prioritizing prevention and youth engagement in its anti-drug campaigns.

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Speaking shortly before the commencement of the walk, Ogboba stressed that the campaign was not an NDLEA thing, but a global concern that affects everyone irrespective of geographical boundaries. She noted that drug addiction and substance abuse are increasingly growing into public health crises, which demand everyone’s support and contributions via empathetic solutions and not punishment or stigmatization. She charged participants to collectively promote awareness, prevention, and rehabilitation as the sustainable path forward.

“We are going out for this campaign to sensitise Nigerians, especially the youths, to stay out of drugs and substances as well as crime. If we do not take the messages to them on the streets, who will do it? This is a national duty, as what we are doing here today is being replicated across the country and the globe. We thank you for your support,” she added.