The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking, seizing tons of illicit drugs in nine states across Nigeria. Recent NDLEA operations targeted areas including Lagos, Abuja (FCT), Taraba, Kwara, Plateau, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, and Ondo, leading to the confiscation of millions of opioid pills and large quantities of cannabis. These actions underscore the agency’s determination to curb the drug crisis threatening the nation’s health and security.
In Lagos, one of the most significant seizures occurred at the Apapa seaport on November 6, where NDLEA operatives intercepted 31.75 million pills of 240mg Voltron, a controlled opioid. The drugs, concealed in a container from India and labeled as diclofenac sodium 100mg tablets, had a street value estimated in the billions. This massive haul, confirmed by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, was made possible through a joint inspection involving the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other security agencies. The scale of the seizure highlights the increasing role of Nigerian ports in the international opioid trade.
In another high-profile bust, NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos intercepted a 700-gram package of Loud, a potent cannabis strain, on November 5. A suspect, Olu Marshal, a software engineer, was apprehended while attempting to claim the consignment. Following his arrest, a raid on his residence in Lekki yielded further drug paraphernalia, including a cannabis grinder, intensifying suspicions of organized drug distribution.
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The crackdown extended to other areas of the country, with NDLEA operatives in Kwara State seizing over 162,800 opioid pills from four suspects during coordinated interdictions. Among the items seized were 112,200 tablets of tramadol recovered from one suspect, Wahab Saliu, and 18,900 more from Dalha Musa, both arrested in Ilorin. Additional raids yielded 29,000 tramadol pills, 200 diazepam ampoules, and 99 bottles of codeine from suspect Ahmed Isiaka, while Ahmed Garba was found with 2,500 tramadol pills. This concentrated operation in Kwara highlights NDLEA’s efforts to counter drug proliferation in regional hotspots.
In Abuja, NDLEA officers made another significant seizure on November 7, intercepting a truck on the Abaji-Kwali road carrying 755.5 kg of cannabis concealed under empty cartons of noodles. The truck driver, Lukman Rasheed, admitted the substance was loaded in Ogbese, Ondo State, raising concerns about inter-state trafficking networks. Similarly, in Taraba State, operatives arrested Yusuf Abubakar, 43, transporting 361 cannabis blocks (totaling 156.95 kg) toward Kano, in a commercial bus.
These arrests were bolstered by further seizures in Plateau and Kano States. Two suspects in Plateau were found with 113 blocks of cannabis weighing 141 kg, while in Kano, a Chadian national, Hassan Ali, was apprehended with 3,000 tramadol pills. The NDLEA’s commitment to disrupting these networks is evident in the continuous multi-state operations.
Kaduna and Edo States also saw significant enforcement activities. In Kaduna, Ibrahim Adamu was arrested with 35 sacks of cannabis weighing 338.8 kg, while in Edo, NDLEA agents seized over 1,078 kg of cannabis in Okhuokhuo-ISI forest and 228 kg from Sabo-Auchi. Ondo State similarly witnessed large-scale confiscations, with four suspects arrested in Emure Ile, possessing 672 kg of cannabis. An additional 4,908 kg of cannabis was uncovered in a residence in Akure, underscoring the NDLEA’s reach in combatting drug distribution networks.
Reacting to these seizures, NDLEA Chairman, retired Brigadier General Buba Marwa, commended the dedication of NDLEA officers across the involved states. He emphasised that the NDLEA’s mission is not only to disrupt trafficking networks but also to protect Nigerian communities from the perils of drug abuse. Marwa’s message reflects the agency’s broader goal to secure a safer, drug-free Nigeria amid rising concerns about the health impacts and economic toll of the drug crisis.
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