Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted multiple consignments of illicit drugs cleverly concealed in frozen snails, electrical bulbs, and female clothes at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, and at a courier company in Lagos.
According to Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, the interceptions were part of a series of coordinated operations targeting transnational drug trafficking networks attempting to smuggle narcotics to the United States, United Kingdom, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
At least two suspects linked to the export attempts are now in custody. One of them, Boladale Riliwan, a cargo agent, was arrested on October 7, 2025, after NDLEA officers discovered 15 parcels of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis, hidden inside 10 giant rechargeable electrical bulbs he presented for air freight to the DRC at the Lagos airport export shed.
Another suspect, 48-year-old Olawale Oyebola Hakeemot, a UK-based Public Health Assistant, was apprehended on October 12 at Terminal 2 of the Lagos airport. NDLEA officers found 2,300 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed within frozen snails in her luggage as she prepared to board a Qatar Airways flight to Manchester, United Kingdom.
In a separate operation, NDLEA personnel foiled an attempt by another syndicate to export 810 pills of bromazepam hidden in female clothing destined for the United States at a courier company in Lagos on October 16.
In Adamawa State, NDLEA officers intercepted a suspect, Bello Buba, at a checkpoint in Namtari, Yola South Local Government Area, on October 12, with 38,270 pills of tramadol concealed inside the spare tyre, boot, and door compartments of his Honda Civic.
The suspect reportedly drove from Benin Republic to smuggle the consignment into Nigeria.
In Ekiti State, the Agency destroyed 53,250 kilograms of skunk cultivated on 21.3 hectares of farmland in Ilawe-Ekiti, while another 1,140kg of the same substance packed in 70 bags was recovered.
Three suspects, Matthew Emmanuel (26), James Moses (27), and Israel Samuel (20), were arrested during the two-day operation between October 12 and 13.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives in Ondo State destroyed 17,400kg of cannabis on 6.96 hectares of plantation at Aponmu Forest Reserve, Akure, on October 12.In Oyo State, four suspects, Aliyu Muhammed (50), Babarinde Segun (32), Ogunbiyi Sanjo (30), and Ajani Oluro (30), were arrested with 596kg of skunk at Apata-Ako, Igboora, while Jacob Afolabi (30) and Salako Oluwatobi (25) were nabbed with 273kg of the same substance at Odo-Oyan, Igangan, on October 16.
In Ogun State, NDLEA operatives arrested Joseph Andrew with 88kg of skunk at Ona-Imeko on October 15, while Festus Udoh (42) was caught with 13,000 pills of opioids along the Onitsha–Owerri road, Imo State.
Also, in Enugu State, 74.5kg of skunk was recovered from the store of a suspect, Joseph Chukwujamaa, at Umuogbo-Agu village on October 18. In Lagos, NDLEA officers seized 117kg of skunk from the base of a suspect, Ramoni Olukowi, in Mushin, on the same day.
In a major joint operation at Apapa Port, Lagos, NDLEA operatives, working with Customs and other security agencies, intercepted a container from India loaded with 80,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup, earlier placed on the agency’s watchlist.
The seizure was made during a joint examination of the shipment on October 14.
