Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted 5.8 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the heads of imported dry stockfish and arrested a key member of a syndicate involved in trafficking the illicit substance across the world, especially to India.
The bust of the drug syndicate followed intelligence on its trans-border criminal activities. This led to a well-coordinated sting operation by operatives of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Strategic Command in Ojo, Lagos, on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement made available to ThelensNG n Sunday.
Babafemi revealed that in the course of the operation, three jumbo-sized bags were found in the possession of the kingpin, 36-year-old Akputa Dickson Ejike.
“A search of the bags led to the recovery of Two Hundred and Thirty-Seven (237) wraps of cocaine buried in the heads of imported dry stockfish locally known as ‘Okporoko’. The cocaine pellets have a gross weight of 5.80 kilograms. The consignment was intended for export to Delhi, India,” the statement said.
In another operation in Lagos, operatives of the NDLEA’s Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI), on Wednesday, March 25, intercepted two illicit consignments destined for the United Kingdom at a courier company
In one of the shipments that originated from Cotonou, Benin Republic, 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine were found concealed in automobile filters, while the second parcel contains 40 ampoules of Morphine Sulphate and nine ampoules of Fentanyl.
Similarly, operatives of a Special Operations Unit of the Agency, on Thursday, March 26, raided the residence of a suspected female head of a notorious drug syndicate, 46-year-old Omolade Abigail Jolayemi, at 13 Carter Street, Yaba, Lagos, where they arrested her and her salesgirl, Sarah Zainab Agbabiaka, 31.
No fewer than 135 blocks of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 76.30 kg, were recovered from them. Omolade, popularly known as Iya Ghana, trades in local fabric on the surface, but beneath, she runs a drug distribution network between Nigeria and Ghana.
On the same day, SOU operatives also arrested Anayo Lucky Ohabiro, 39, at Doyin Bus Stop, Surulere, Lagos, following credible intelligence. A total of 78 blocks of Ghana Loud, weighing 41 kg, were seized from him.
In Ekiti State, an 80-year-old man, Oke Samuel, was, on Thursday, March 26, arrested by NDLEA operatives during a special raid operation at Mosafuneto Camp, Erinmo Road, Efon-Alaaye, Ekiti. A total of 2.2 kg of skunk and 1.8 grams of methamphetamine were recovered from him. Meanwhile, 894.72 kg of the same psychoactive substance was seized from another suspect, Enuwa Kehinde Kingsley, 37, when an uncompleted building was raided by NDLEA officers at Ogbese, in the Akure North area of Ondo State, on the same day.
Not less than 116.7 kg of skunk was recovered from a suspect, Saater Nyam, 35, during a raid operation at Pevi Village, Guma LGA, Benue State, on Tuesday, March 24, while, in Edo State, NDLEA operatives, on Monday, March 23, uncovered a warehouse in Ekpoma Town, Esan West LGA, leading to the arrest of a suspect, Felix Donald, 25, and the seizure of 576.5 kg of skunk and 33 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
Elsewhere in Taraba State, NDLEA officers, acting on credible intelligence on Tuesday, March 24, intercepted a truck marked DUT 457 ZB, conveying 100 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 135 kg, concealed in bags of animal feed, from Garbachede to Gombe State. Two suspects — Osama Mamuda, 21, and Auwal Umar, 22 — were nabbed in connection with the seizure.
In the same vein, the Agency’s Commands and formations continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities across the country in the past week.
The activities included WADA sensitization lecture delivered to students and staff of Community Secondary School, Itigidi, Abi LGA, Cross River; Government Girls Secondary School, Yola, Adamawa; Islamic High School, Igbeti, Oyo State; Gidan Sarki Primary School, Kano; and Royal Legends Academy, Ibeshe, Ikorodu, Lagos State, among others.
Commenting on the arrests and seizures, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended the officers and men of the MMIA, SOU, DOGI, Ekiti, Ondo, Benue, Edo and Taraba Commands for their professionalism and commitment.
Marwa also praised their counterparts across all commands in the country for maintaining a fair balance between drug supply and demand reduction efforts.
