The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has carried out a series of coordinated operations across several states, leading to multiple arrests and the seizure of significant quantities of illicit drugs, including cannabis, opioids, and methamphetamine.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi disclosed that operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, arrested a Chinese national, Liang Tak You, who allegedly attempted to smuggle 26.1kg of Canadian Loud concealed in two suitcases.
The suspect reportedly arrived from Bangkok, Thailand, via Dubai, and was placed under surveillance based on actionable intelligence before being intercepted as he exited the airport.
In Cross River State, an 80-year-old woman, Grace Ekpeme, was arrested at her residence in Calabar South with more than 3kg of skunk. Babafemi said her arrest followed intelligence reports indicating her involvement in drug distribution activities within the area.
Significant seizures were also recorded at the Apapa Seaport in Lagos, where NDLEA operatives, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies, intercepted a shipment containing 101kg of Canadian Loud concealed in 202 tins labeled as “Bean Salad Mix” and packed inside two Toyota Sienna buses imported from Canada.
Other major operations included the interception of 71,000 opioid pills from a suspect traveling along the Abuja–Kaduna highway, the destruction of a one-hectare cannabis plantation in Idoani, Ondo State, and the recovery of 121.4kg of processed skunk from the same site.
In Edo State, operatives raided the Asakpa community in Benin City, where they arrested 26-year-old Bright Sunday Okon and recovered assorted strains of cannabis, methamphetamine, and other narcotics.
In Borno, Gombe, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, and Kogi States, additional arrests were made, with operatives recovering thousands of tramadol tablets, codeine syrups, and cannabis concealed in food items, commercial buses, abandoned vehicles, and motor parks.
Some traffickers resisted arrest, forcing NDLEA officers to repel attacks during raids, particularly in Ifo, Ogun State, where 113kg of skunk was seized from a notorious dealer.
Babafemi noted that follow-up investigations are ongoing to track syndicate members connected to the seized consignments and dismantle their trafficking networks.
He stressed that the agency’s dual approach—drug supply reduction and demand reduction—continues to be implemented nationwide.
Commending officers across the MMIA, Apapa, Lagos, Cross River, Edo, Ondo, Nasarawa, Borno, Niger, Ogun, Gombe, Kaduna, and Kogi Commands, NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) praised their efforts. He reiterated the agency’s commitment to curbing drug trafficking and abuse, describing the operations as critical to safeguarding public health and national security.
