Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a consignment of illicit substances, including methamphetamine and opioids, concealed in the walls of cartons, winter jackets, and body cream containers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, and a courier firm in Lagos.
The drugs were being transported by members of Drug Trafficking Organisations (DTOs). Two consignments bound for Italy were to be transported through the Lagos airport, where two suspects linked to the shipments were promptly arrested.
The Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement made available to ThelensNG on Sunday.
Babafemi revealed that one of the suspects, Friday Ehianuka, 37, was travelling to Rome, Italy, on Friday, March 20, 2026, when he was intercepted while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight with 2,698 pills of tramadol (225mg) concealed in containers of skin-lightening body cream packed in his luggage.
In his statement, Ehianuka, a resident of Milan, confirmed that he was to be paid a negotiated fee in Euros if he had succeeded in trafficking the consignment to Italy.
In another development, NDLEA operatives at the departure hall of the Lagos airport on Wednesday, March 18, intercepted a passenger Christian Agbonhese, who was attempting to board a Lufthansa Airlines flight to Milan, Italy.
“Upon a thorough search of his luggage, no fewer than 23,150 pills of tramadol 225mg; 4,000 tablets of tapentadol 250mg and 1,320 pills of tramadol 100mg, all concealed in two large winter jackets, bringing the total number of opioids recovered from him to 28,470 pills. The 38-year-old Agbonhese is also a resident of Milan.
“At a courier firm in Lagos, NDLEA officers on Monday 16th March intercepted two parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 1kg, hidden in a carton shipped to Lagos from the United States. Also thwarted was an attempt to export 158 grams of methamphetamine concealed in the walls of a carton to New Zealand,” the statement said.
In Kano, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, March 18, arrested a suspect Abdulkadir Mamuda, 35, with 102.5kg skunk at Dan-Tsalle, while another suspect Uche Johnson Festus, 47, was nabbed same day at Naibawa Gabas, with 95.5kg of same psychoactive substance.
Not less than 21,737 bottles of codeine-based syrup were recovered from a store at Otto, Ijora area of Lagos when NDLEA operatives raided the area on Wednesday, March 18, while two suspects — Chidiebere Anigbogu and Paul Nwagbara were arrested same day on Third Mainland Bridge, conveying 8,380 bottles of same substance.
While 97.5kg skunk was recovered from the home of a suspect Akeem Idde, 37, in Ojah, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State on Monday, March 16, NDLEA operatives in Abuja on Wednesday, March 18, intercepted a commercial bus along Gwagwalada Expressway in the FCT. A thorough search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 91,840 pills of tramadol hidden in its body compartments.
Babafemi disclosed that the bus driver, Aminu Ali, 27, has been taken into custody. In Oyo State, a suspect, Bankole Bari, was on Tuesday, March 17, arrested at Oke-Oyan, Ibarapa LGA, with 71.2kg skunk, which he smuggled into Nigeria from Benin Republic through the Oyan river.
Not less than 586,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5 were recovered by NDLEA operatives from Lawal Anas, 28, along Kaduna-Zaria Highway, Kaduna on Tuesday, March 17, while 7,290 tablets of tramadol 225mg were seized from Musa Shuaibu, 22, at same location on Friday, March 20.
“Acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives in Taraba State on Tuesday 17th March intercepted a suspect Aliyu Adamu, 26, along Takum-Jalingo Highway while conveying 77,660 capsules of tramadol to Gombe.
“In Adamawa State, no fewer than six suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure of 82.8kg tramadol in a truck in Yola on Tuesday 17th March. Suspects who are joint owners of the consignment include: Ramatu Aliyu; Jungudo Abdullahi; Najid Abdullahi; Musa Mohammed; Usman Abdulrahim and Musa Mohammed. They were all arrested in swift follow-up operations,” the statement added.
Similarly, the Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, work places, and communities in the past week.
The activities included WADA sensitisation lecture to students and staff of Girls High School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi; New State High School, Mushin, Lagos; Cornerstone Secondary School, Sankwala, Cross River; Community Secondary School, Ngwo-Uno, Udi, Enugu; and St. John’s Academy, Ipokia LGA, Ogun State.
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, DOGI, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Oyo, FCT, Taraba, and Adamawa Commands for their professionalism and commitment.
Marwa urged them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.
