NDLEA Smashes Drug Syndicates, Seizes Meth, Cocaine Hidden in Auto Parts at Lagos Airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have dismantled no fewer than six syndicates, seizing tonnes of assorted illicit drugs and arresting nine kingpins in a series of intelligence-led interdiction operations, following a crackdown on drug trafficking organisations across the country.

In one of the operations, NDLEA officers on Tuesday 18th November 2025 arrested two members of a drug trafficking organisation in Onitsha, Anambra State, after they attempted to take delivery of 5.40 kilograms of methamphetamine; 10.70 kilograms of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis; 16 grams of cocaine; 200 grams of phenacetin; 200 grams of methcathinone and 100 grams of caffeine concealed in pressure machine cylinders imported from South Africa.

The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi make this known in a statement on Sunday.

According to him, the first suspect, 30-year-old electrical appliances dealer Ebulue Lotanwa Uzochukwu, was arrested when he arrived at a logistics company in Onitsha to collect the consignment. Shortly afterwards, another member of the syndicate, 51-year-old South Africa returnee Christopher Michael Ndibuisi, also showed up and was arrested.

Babafemi disclosed that the consignments had arrived at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja-Lagos, with airway bill number 118-12882973 on a Tag-Angola flight from South Africa on 13th November 2025 and were immediately seized following credible intelligence.

A follow-up sting operation was then executed in Onitsha, Anambra State, leading to the arrest of the recipients: Uzochukwu and Ndibuisi.

In another Lagos airport operation on Thursday 20th November, NDLEA operatives intercepted a brake servo automobile part used to conceal 48 pellets and a block of cocaine weighing 2.30 kilograms, hidden among other auto parts destined for Gabon.

Following the arrest of a freight agent, Ameh Solomon, who presented the shipment for export, a follow-up operation at the ASMPDA market in the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo area of Lagos, led to the arrest of an auto parts dealer, Nwafor Tochukwu Boniface.

In Kogi State, operatives on Monday 17th November intercepted a trailer conveying 4,700 kilograms of skunk at Kabba. Three suspects — Solomon Dauda, Friday Garba and Daniel Danladi — who accompanied the drugs were detained, while a follow-up operation in Jos, Plateau state, on Friday 21st November resulted in the arrest of the kingpin behind the trailer and its illicit cargo, Marcus Danladi Dan Mangu.

A couple, 55-year-old Onun Okoi Okpotum and his 52-year-old wife, Itam Okoi Okpotum, were arrested on Wednesday 19th November at their warehouse at 13 Park Road, Ugep Yakur LGA, Cross River State, where 362 jumbo bags of skunk weighing 4,706 kilograms were recovered.

In Edo State state, two women — 19-year-old Praise Nwogu and 25-year-old Ebong Emem Oghosa — were arrested on Saturday 22nd November in Benin City for producing and selling drug-laced brownies online. At the time of arrest, Nwogu was caught with 12 plates and a cup of drug-laced brownies, while Oghosa was found with 76 grams of skunk, 1.5 grams of Colorado and additional brownies.

A raid in Ososo village, Akoko Edo LGA, on Tuesday 18th November led to the arrest of 35-year-old Shedrack Aminu, who was found with 59kg of skunk.

Operatives patrolling the Enugu/Onitsha road in Enugu on Wednesday 19th November intercepted 24-year-old Chinoso Emmanuel Monday, who was transporting 10.1kg of skunk; 105,600 pills of tramadol 250mg, 225mg and 100mg; 700 ampoules of pentazocine injection; and 3,000 rounds of live ammunition.

In Kebbi State, 13,155 bottles of codeine-based syrup were evacuated from a warehouse in Dole-Kaina, Dandi LGA, while on Friday 21st November a 23-year-old suspect, Umar Adamu, was arrested with 12,548 opioid pills concealed in paracetamol containers and heading towards a Boko Haram enclave in Minok, Borno state.

Two suspects, Anthony Mercy, 40, and Sunday Augustine, 39, were arrested on Monday 17th November with 430.5kg of illicit substances along the Abaji–Abuja expressway in the FCT. Similarly, 47-year-old Samson Dafe was arrested on Tuesday 18th November at Dikko junction, Kaduna Road, Tafa LGA, Niger State, with 85,100 opioid pills and 5,456 bottles of codeine syrup in a Sharon vehicle marked ABJ 114 BV.

A raid on the premises of a suspect, Sani Mohammed, in Anguwan Makera Kuta, Shiroro LGA, on Thursday 20th November led to the recovery of 437 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 471.8 kilograms.

In Lagos, a suspect, Usman Ayoola Adegoke, was arrested in connection with 139 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 71kg recovered from an apartment in Lekki, while another suspect, Oluchi Celestine, was arrested on Tuesday 18th November in the same area with 2.6kg of Colorado concealed in branded containers and flight boarding cards.

Acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives supported by military personnel raided the notorious Peti illicit drug enclave on Lagos Island on Monday 17th November, recovering 385 kilograms of skunk, Loud and Colorado, and arresting two suspects.

A separate operation at a motor park in Maza Maza, Lagos, led to the seizure of 163,200 capsules of tramadol 225mg.

While commending officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kogi, Edo, Cross River, Enugu, Kebbi, Niger, Borno and FCT Commands for the successful operations, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), urged them and their colleagues nationwide to sustain the Agency’s balanced drug control efforts.

Justifying the heightened crackdown ahead of the festive season, Marwa warned that criminal networks typically exploit the period and stressed the need for continued vigilance.

“The coming weeks present both an opportunity and a challenge. Drug cartels may attempt to increase their illegal activities, seeking to profit during the busy holiday period. We must not, and we will not, let down our guard”, he added.