The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted more than 1.3 million tramadol and other opioid pills and capsules, alongside about 6,000kg of cannabis varieties, in operations across eight states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The seized drugs have an estimated street value of over ₦3.4 billion, while several suspects were arrested, including a 49-year-old man accused of impersonating a senior police officer to evade security checks while allegedly transporting illicit drugs.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi disclosed the arrests and seizures in a statement issued Sunday in Abuja, saying the operations were carried out in Lagos, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe and Imo states, as well as the FCT.
The agency’s largest seizure involved 1,200 parcels of Canadian Loud, a potent cannabis strain weighing 603.75kg and valued at approximately ₦1.811 billion.
Babafemi said the consignment was intercepted at Tin-Can Island Port, Lagos, after intelligence led NDLEA operatives to closely monitor a 40-foot container shipped from Montreal, Canada.
The container arrived on September 12 and was jointly inspected by NDLEA, Customs and other security agencies on September 16. The search reportedly uncovered the cannabis concealed inside 31 black jumbo bags loaded into two Toyota Sienna vehicles within the container.
In Delta State, NDLEA officers arrested 49-year-old Innocent Ekpe along the Benin-Onitsha Expressway in Asaba on September 16. He was allegedly found with 292.48kg of skunk concealed in a silver Toyota Sienna bus.
The agency alleged that Ekpe used the identity of Godwin Emeka, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, and possessed a forged police identification card to avoid scrutiny at checkpoints. An alleged accomplice, 39-year-old Nduka Joseph, was also arrested.
In Edo State, officers raided an auto-repair workshop along Agbor Road, Benin City, following intelligence and arrested 45-year-old Matthew Ossai. NDLEA said 48kg of Canadian Loud and 152g of methamphetamine were recovered from the premises, which it alleged was being used to store illicit drugs.
In Niger State, three suspects — Bashir Usman, 20; Abubakar Nuhu, 18; and Abdulrahman Abdulwahab, 18 — were arrested on September 15 along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway in Chachi, Tafa Local Government Area.
According to the agency, the suspects were allegedly carrying two locally fabricated AK-47 rifles and a magazine, a locally made pistol with a magazine and nine rounds of 9mm ammunition concealed in a black travel bag.
On the Abaji-Abuja highway, NDLEA officers also arrested Aminu Isyaku, 23, and Jamilu Habibu, 25, on September 18. They were allegedly found with more than 1.1 million tramadol tablets and capsules, codeine syrup, methamphetamine and Exol tablets concealed in eight sacks reportedly being transported from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
In Lagos, Onyeka Offor was arrested at his residence in Aguda, Surulere, on September 18 with 48,900 tablets of tramadol 225mg.
The agency also intercepted seven cartons containing 59kg of cannabis sativa at a logistics company in Lagos, leading to the arrest of Luke Ugokwe.
Another suspect, 43-year-old Ibrahim Hudu, was arrested at Apongbo on September 17 with 998.38kg of nitrous oxide gas.
In Gombe State, NDLEA officers recovered 154,480 tramadol capsules from two suspects, Sabi’u Umar, 27, and Hassana Muhammad, 19. The pair were arrested separately at the Barunde area and Gombe Main Market on September 18.
In Imo State, 25-year-old Ifesinachi Godwin was arrested along the Owerri-Onitsha Road on September 18 with 43.85kg of skunk.
Meanwhile, four suspects — Blessing Effiong, Saviour Peter, David Friday Sunday and Ability Peter Sunday — were arrested during a raid on a two-hectare cannabis farm in Ita-Ogbolu Forest, Ondo State, on September 15.
The operation resulted in the destruction of about 5,000kg of cannabis plants, while 48kg of dried and fresh cannabis was recovered for prosecution.
Beyond the enforcement operations, the NDLEA said its commands across the country continued public sensitisation under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.
The agency conducted awareness programmes at schools including St. Ferdinand School, Ogbomoso, Oyo State; Unizik Secondary School, Awka, Anambra State; Scholars Nursery and Primary School, Epe, Lagos State; and Government Technical Training School, Jalingo, Taraba State.
The Delta Ports Command also carried out a WADA advocacy visit to the Pere Ama-Okosu of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, His Royal Majesty King Couple Mackson Oromoni Mobene III.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations and urged personnel nationwide to maintain a balanced and intelligence-driven approach to combating drug trafficking.
