Tag: NDLEA

• …secures 226 convictions, destroys 60.2 hectares of Cannabis Sativa farms

The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Delta State Command, has revealed that the command confiscated illicit drugs worth over N3,000,000,000 (Three Billion Naira only) in the state.

The State Commander, NDLEA, Halilu Hamidu, made the revelation on Friday at the Command’s headquarters in Ogwashi-Uku during a press conference to highlight the end-of-year performance report and an overview of drug situation in the state.

Giving breakdown of the drug seizures — exhbits and weights, Commander Hamidu said 1,750 Kg of Cannabis Sativa; 310.6 grams of Cannabis Sativa seeds; 224.65 grams of Cocaine; 32.3 grams of Heroin 32.3 grams; 800.8 grams of Methamphetamine and 311.9 Kg of Tramadol were impounded.

Other seizures were Swinol/Rohypnol

9.04 Kg; Diazapam, 20.01 Kg; Exol

166 Kg; Molly, 2.1Kg; Hypnox

6.1 Kg and Cocodamol, 13 grams, amounting to total dry exhibits of 2,265 kg.

Also, Codeine 657.5 litres, Mixture of Cannabis Sativa and Gin, 50.3 litres, Pentazocine, 6.6 litres and Diazepam Injection 0.07 litres, resulting in total of 714.4 litres.

Read Also: Customs, NDLEA intercept 1,187kg ‘Canadian Loud’

He further said that the Command had secured 226 convictions with 189 pending cases from January 2025 till 12th December, 2025 both at the Federal High Court Asaba and Warri respectively.

Hamidu said, “Through intensified field operations, the Command located and destroyed 10.2 hectares of Cannabis Sativa farm at Emu-Obiogo Community in Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State. 50 hectares of Cannabis Sativa farm destroyed at Innam-Abbi in Ndokwa West LGA, Delta State on February 27, 2025 significantly disrupting cultivation and distribution channels.

The Commander further said that on the 6th of December, 2025, operatives acting on intelligence, proactively raided a warehouse at Oko Market, Asaba, where a large quantity of illicit substances was stored for distribution. According to him, the recovered items included Tramadol, Rohypnol, Hypnox, Diazepam, Exol-5, Codeine, and other dangerous drugs, all in significant quantities. 

He averred that the total street value of these substances is estimated at ₦150,000,000.00 (B150m), saying this discovery is deeply alarming, especially at a time when families and communities are preparing for the festive season. 

He said the circulation of such drugs poses a severe threat to the safety, health, and wellbeing of the youths, the markets, and the State at large, noting that if left unchecked, that single warehouse could have fueled addiction, crime, and tragedy across Delta State and beyond. 

Hamidu assured the public that the Command is vigorously pursuing all leads to identify, track, and arrest those responsible for storing and trafficking these substances.

He said their actions during this Yuletide season reflect their unwavering commitment to keep Delta State safe, stable, and secure, no matter the challenges before them.

Commander Hamidu noted, “The Command, in partnership with the State Drug Control Committee (SDCC), has strengthened youth-focused drug education by establishing War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) clubs in secondary schools across Delta State.

“These clubs serve as safe learning spaces where students are empowered with practical knowledge, guidance, and support to resist drug use. They help young people build confidence, make better decisions, and understand the long-term consequences of substance abuse in simple, relatable terms. 

“Our sensitisation efforts also reached the NYSC Orientation Camp, tertiary institutions, religious organisations, workplaces, and various community gatherings.

“In each engagement, we meet people where they are: families, youths, workers, and community leaders helping them understand the risks of drug abuse and how to protect those they care about. These outreach activities continue to strengthen community awareness, encourage collective responsibility, and build a more informed and resilient Delta State.

“Between January 2025 and the present date, the Command’s Drug Demand Reduction Unit provided counselling services to 704 individuals struggling with drug dependency (480 males and 224 females). Additionally, 14 clients were admitted for counselling and rehabilitation.” 

Hamidu acknowledged the indispensable support received from the Delta State Government, the military, sister law enforcement agencies, traditional institutions, religious bodies, educational institutions, media partners, youth associations, NGOs and civil society organisations, saying their partnership remains fundamental to the progress they have made.

He stated, “The Command remains firmly committed to strengthening its operations throughout Delta State. Our focus is to work hand in hand with all relevant stakeholders to build an environment where drugs are harder to access, harder to distribute, and far less attractive to potential users. 

“By reducing both the demand for drugs and the supply channels that feed abuse, we aim to protect our communities and support healthier, more productive lives for our people.

“This drive is fully aligned with the vision of the current administration and directly supports the successful implementation of the M.O.R.E Agenda. With continued cooperation from governmental bodies, security agencies, traditional institutions, and community groups, the State can move closer to achieving lasting safety and social stability.

“Furthermore, under the strong leadership and national direction of the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd.), the fight against drug abuse and trafficking continues to gain momentum. 

“His commitment and strategic guidance have strengthened our operations nationwide, and the Delta State Command stands ready to intensify the battle even further in line with his vision for a drug-free Nigeria.

…intercepts Loud, Tramadol consignments in teddy bear, Vitamin C bottles

…nabs couple, one other with 1,125 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition in Kaduna

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered and dismantled a social media network used to distribute illicit substances packaged as imported Christmas cookies and snacks.

Director, Media and Advocacy. NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, said two masterminds were arrested and taken into custody after a raid on their hideout in Lekki area of Lagos.

Babafemi said the drug syndicate run by the duo of Deji Adesanya and Olubiyi Majekodunmi had imported consignments of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis and a variety of colourful designer sachets with pictures and labels of cookies and snacks printed on them, and used to package the psychoactive substance in retail quantities.

According to the statement, following credible intelligence about the activities of the syndicate which operates and distributes through a WhatsApp platform, NDLEA operatives on Saturday 22nd November 2025 raided their apartment at Ojulari street, Ikate area of Lekki where a large quantity of the designer sachets and 5 kilograms of Loud were recovered from them at the point of their arrest.

The statement reads, “In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 27th November arrested a 38-year-old drug kingpin Philip Ucheka while taking delivery of 110 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 55.6kg at Ladipo area of Mushin. At the point of his arrest, three delivery vehicles were also seized from him.

“At a courier company in Lagos, 100grams of Loud concealed in teddy bear imported from Thailand were intercepted on Thursday 27th November while a consignment of 548 capsules of tramadol hidden in bottles of Vitamin C and Magnesium going to the United Kingdom were recovered at another logistics firm the following day, Friday 28th November.

“In Oyo state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Lagos -Ibadan expressway on Saturday 29th November nabbed a suspect Wasiu Kareem, 55, with 8,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection; 590 bottles of codeine syrup; 1,500 pills of Co-codamol and 9,900 capsules of tramadol.

“No fewer than seven suspects were arrested on Monday 24th November when NDLEA operatives raided the Ipe forest in Akoko South East area of Ondo State where they recovered 3,077 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis. Those arrested include: John Ede; Ede Ndubuisi; Ikenna Abe; Eze Chukwuma; Maduabuchi Odo; Nnaji Chudubem and George Okowor.

“While Anthony Sylvester, 49, was arrested along Okene/Lokoja highway Kogi state conveying 649kg skunk in a truck on Wednesday 26th November, NDLEA officers at the Seme Special Area Command on Friday 28th November raided a warehouse at Ashipa, Seme border area of Badagry, Lagos where they arrested a suspect Abubakar Shuaibu, 33,  with 487 blocks of skunk weighing 243.5kg.

Read Also: Gambari, Sokoto, Oladunni, others honoured with Institute of Security, Nigeria fellowships

“In Kano, Tsalha Alasan, 47, was arrested along Zaria-Kano road with 137kg skunk on Monday 24th November, while three suspects: Godspower Appeal, 50; Ernest Upong, 55; and Godday Chukwudi, 38, were nabbed on Wednesday 26th November with 322 blocks of skunk weighing 209 kilograms at Fanshanu village, Toro LGA, Bauchi state. A black Toyota Highlander jeep marked ABJ 533 EA used in conveying the consignment was also recovered from them.

“A suspect John  Ekojo, 51, was arrested with 210.15kg skunk along Abuja/Jos highway on Saturday 29th November, while a couple: Abdullahi Abubakar, 45, and Jamila Abdullahi, 35, were nabbed along Abuja/Kaduna highway with 725 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition concealed in a sack of maize just as another suspect Awwal Sabiu, 20, was caught with

400 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition at Abuja/Kaduna tollgate on Friday 28th November.

“With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of Government Junior Technical School, Kofar Kudu, Kano; Bright Eyes International School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi; dock workers and clearing agents at the Tincan Port, Lagos; Legacy International College, Nsukka, Enugu; and Seatos School, Ikorodu, Lagos, among others.

“While commending the officers and men of DOGI, Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Kogi, Kaduna, Kano, Seme and Bauchi Commands for the various successful operations, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.”

The Federal government has intensified its fight against drug abuse to curb rising substance misuse and protect its young population, Brig-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has said.

He emphasised that tackling drug abuse requires collective action from families, schools, communities, and faith-based institutions, not just arrests and seizures.

Marwa spoke in Abuja on Wednesday during the formal inauguration of Drug Free World Africa (DFWA) operations in Nigeria, an event that also marked the unveiling of the organisation’s first educational leaflet, ‘Steering Dynamic Drug-Free Youth’.

He said the agency, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, has expanded its operations to include prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration of drug-dependent persons.

“For emphasis, the agency now focuses on prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration of drug-dependent persons,” Marwa said.

Highlighting the agency’s achievements between 2021 and 2025, he noted that thousands of arrests, hundreds of convictions, and the dismantling of major drug trafficking networks had been recorded nationwide.

“Enforcement alone will not win this war,” he stressed, calling for stronger involvement from families and communities.

Parents, he said, must hold meaningful conversations with their children, while teachers should guide students academically and morally.

Religious leaders, he added, must continue shaping responsible behavior through their influence.

Marwa reaffirmed NDLEA’s commitment to partnering with organisations like DFWA to build a drug-free Nigeria and Africa.

Senator Patrick Ndubueze, representing Imo North, echoed Marwa’s emphasis on moral and parental guidance as a critical weapon in the national anti-drug fight.

Read Also: NDLEA busts illicit drug warehouse, recovers N6.7 billion opioids, arrests baron, five others

“The war against drugs should start from various homes. Parents must educate their children, monitor their behavior, and teach them to avoid peers who may be engaging in harmful habits,” he said.

The lawmaker warned against giving children detailed information about specific drugs, arguing that excessive curiosity could encourage experimentation.

Instead, he said children should be taught the broad dangers and moral implications of substance abuse while urging the government to tighten prescription controls and monitor pharmacies dispensing restricted substances.

Chinagorum Nkaru, Founder of DFWA, described the inauguration as the beginning of a bold and transformative movement to build a generation free from the effects of drug abuse and addiction.

She said DFWA envisions an Africa where young people are empowered, guided by purpose, and inspired to live dignified, responsible lives.

The educational leaflet launched, according to Nkaru, embodies three essential tools, education, awareness, and hope, designed to help young people make informed decisions and become ambassadors of positive change in their communities.

Hon. Dr. Lina Okereke, DFWA Country Representative, stressed that the initiative is aimed at “saving lives, one at a time.”

She warned that drug abuse is quietly becoming an epidemic that could touch nearly every family by 2030 if left unchecked.

Okereke highlighted that lack of emotional support, moral guidance, and parental monitoring are key drivers of drug abuse among children.

“The home, the environment, and even unemployment all play a role. A hungry or emotionally broken child can be easily influenced,” she said.

According to her, DFWA has reached over 200 schools and successfully rehabilitated thousands of youths through programs rooted in friendliness and non-stigmatization.

She called for stronger collaboration among policymakers, parents, schools, and communities, stressing that Nigeria must move from awareness to action to protect the next generation.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said it has dismantled an opioids cartel in an intelligence-led operation during which a baron Onyekachi Pius Nwanagu and five members of his gang were arrested with illicit substances worth over N6.7 billion recovered from their secret warehouse in a residential estate in Lagos.

Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement on Wednesday.

Babafemi said following credible intelligence that the drug trafficking organisation (DTO) was about distributing over 7.2 million pills of tramadol 225mg and 526,200 bottles (52.6 million mls) of codeine syrup warehoused in a residential compound located at 23 Sunny Billa East Street, Bucknor, Isheri area of Isolo, Lagos state, ahead of the Christmas festive season, officers of a Special Operations Unit of NDLEA led a well coordinated operation between Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th November 2025 to round up members of the syndicate and dismantle their criminal network.

According to the statement, two members of the DTO: Egbo Innocent Udalor and Chukwe Emmanuel were trailed and arrested at Apple Junction, Festac area of Lagos on Wednesday 19th November while conveying 300 cartons of opioids in a truck. 

Babafemi said a follow up operation to the syndicate’s warehouse at Sunny Billa East Street, Bucknor the following day Thursday 20th November led to the arrest of Onyekachi Nwanagu and other members of his syndicate including: Nwoye Sunday Ali; Nnacho Ogochukwu; and Oraghalia Chukwuebuka Philip.

The statement reads, “In all, a total of Seven Million Two Hundred and Seventy Two Thousand (7,272,000) pills of tramadol 225mg worth Three Billion Nine Hundred and Sixty Million Naira (N3,960,000,000) and 53 million mills of codeine syrup valued at over Two Billion Seven Hundred and Sixty Two Million Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N2,762,550,000), bringing the combined value of the seized drugs to Six Billion Seven Hundred and Twenty Two Million Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N6,722,550,000.00) only in street value were recovered and moved out of the estate in eleven trucks to NDLEA’s central exhibit complex in Lagos.”

While commending the Commander and operatives of the Special Operations Unit as well as those of Strike Force Unit involved in the dismantling of the syndicate, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) praised the officers’ professionalism and dedication, describing the breakthrough as a major blow to the cartels preying on Nigeria’s youth, the statement indicated.

“This is not just an arrest; it is a clear and unambiguous statement. The seizure of this colossal volume of illicit drugs, which could have fueled addiction, crime, and insecurity across our nation, represents a victory for the Nigerian people and a confirmation of our unwavering commitment to the mandate given to us by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, Marwa stated.

He emphasized that the Agency’s focus remains squarely on the kingpins and financiers of the illicit drug trade.

“The days when drug barons thought they were untouchable are over. The arrest of this drug baron and his criminal cohorts, following an intensive intelligence operation, serves as a stark reminder that the long arm of the law will eventually catch up with every merchant of death, no matter how high or deeply concealed they think they are,” Marwa said.