NDLEA Intercepts ₦10bn Cocaine, Loud, Opioids; Arrests Drug Kingpins, Seizes Military Ammunition
Oru Leonard
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a series of major anti-narcotics operations across Nigeria, intercepting cocaine, synthetic cannabis (Loud), opioids and other illicit drugs valued at over ₦10 billion, while also recovering 401 rounds of military-grade ammunition concealed in palm oil kegs and arresting several suspected drug kingpins.
The agency said one of the major breakthroughs was the arrest of 55-year-old businessman, Onuigbo Ndubisi Chinedu, a clothing trader at Lagos’ Balogun Market, over an attempt to export 3.30 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the walls of cartons containing food items destined for the United Kingdom.
According to the NDLEA, the cocaine shipment was intercepted at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on July 22. Investigations led to the arrest of three cargo agents—Nkwor Onyekachukwu Justina, Adeleke Abiola Taoheed, and Ukanwa Grace Pilgrim—before Kenneth Okakpu, who delivered the consignment, was apprehended. Further investigation identified Onuigbo as the alleged mastermind behind the syndicate, leading to his arrest while attempting to ship another cocaine consignment to the UK.
In another operation, NDLEA operatives arrested 31-year-old entrepreneur Emmanuella Chukwu-Edo at her Surulere residence after intercepting 2.80kg of Loud, a potent synthetic cannabis strain, imported from the United States aboard a United Airlines flight.
The agency also intercepted 2.24 million pills of Tapentadol 250mg, valued at over ₦2.2 billion, during a joint examination of cargo from India that arrived aboard an Air Maroc flight. The seizure followed intelligence gathering by the agency.
In a related operation, NDLEA officers intercepted a UK-bound shipment of tramadol concealed inside containers of black soap at a Lagos courier facility.
At the Apapa Seaport, operatives uncovered 4,777 sachets of Canadian Loud weighing 2,388.5 kilograms and valued at more than ₦7.1 billion. The illicit drugs were hidden inside a container carrying three vehicles.
Beyond drug seizures, NDLEA also intercepted 401 rounds of military-grade ammunition in separate operations in Katsina and Kaduna states.
In Katsina, operatives arrested Mustapha Sani, 30, with 323 rounds of ammunition, including 200 rounds of 7.62mm and 123 rounds of 7.6mm cartridges concealed during patrol operations in Baure, Safana Local Government Area.
Similarly, Abubakar Amadu, 30, was arrested along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway with 73 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition hidden inside kegs of red palm oil. The suspects have since been handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.
In Edo State, NDLEA raided a warehouse in Ilushi community, Esan South East Local Government Area, recovering 1,286 kilograms of cannabis and 86 kilograms of cannabis seeds. The operation also led to the arrest of Ojore Onweze with 60kg of skunk and George Agwumede with 13kg of the substance.
The agency said its nationwide War Against Drug Abuse (WADA),A campaign also continued during the week, with sensitization programmes conducted in myschools and communities across Niger, Kano and Lagos states to educate young people and the public on the dangers of substance abuse.
Commending officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI), MMIA, Apapa, Edo, Kaduna and Katsina Commands for the successful operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), urged personnel across the country to sustain the agency’s balanced strategy of aggressive drug enforcement alongside preventive public education.
