NDLEA Intercepts 25kg Meth Hidden In Cereal Packs, Arrests US Basketball Player
…Busts Illegal Gun Factory in Kaduna, Arrests Woman With 196 AK-47 Ammuniy, Seizes Tons of Drugs in Six States
Oru Leonard
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has intercepted 25.05 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in assorted breakfast cereal packs imported from South Africa through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, arresting a 56-year-old suspect who allegedly lived in South Africa for over two decades using a stolen identity.
In a related operation at the same airport, operatives arrested an American professional basketball player over the importation of 33.95 kilograms of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, from Thailand.
The agency also uncovered an illegal firearms manufacturing factory in Kaduna State, arrested a woman allegedly transporting 196 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition and seized large quantities of illicit drugs in coordinated operations across Lagos, Kaduna, Ondo, Delta, Edo and Osun states.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the 56-year-old methamphetamine suspect, identified as Omokan Isaac Babatope, whose real name is Chinedu Onwude, was arrested on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at the arrival hall of Terminal II of the Lagos airport.
A search of his two travelling boxes reportedly led to the discovery of 25 parcels of a white crystalline substance weighing 25.05kg, which subsequently tested positive for methamphetamine.
The illicit substance was carefully concealed inside packs of assorted breakfast cereals and cereal-based food products in an attempt to evade security screening.
The suspect, who holds both Nigerian and South African passports, reportedly confessed during preliminary interrogation that he adopted the identity of Omokan Isaac Babatope after using forged documents to gain entry into South Africa, where he had lived for over 24 years.
He further disclosed that a South Africa-based individual, identified as Obiora Okoye, contracted him to deliver the consignment in Nigeria for a fee of R20,000.
In another operation on the same day, NDLEA operatives intercepted a 28-year-old American citizen, Greene Da’monte Khiree, who arrived in Lagos aboard an Emirates Airline flight from Thailand through Dubai.
The suspect was reportedly placed under discreet surveillance after operatives observed him abandoning his two checked-in bags while attempting to leave the airport with only his carry-on luggage.
He was subsequently apprehended at the airport car park.
A search of the abandoned bags, which bore his name tags, revealed 32 parcels of Loud weighing 33.95kg, while a tracking device was also recovered.
The suspect, a native of Savannah, Georgia, United States, reportedly told investigators that he had been living in Thailand since October 2025, where he plays professional basketball, and came to Nigeria on holiday to build networks for his career.
However, forensic examination of his mobile phone allegedly revealed information linking him to the drug trafficking operation.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested a 33-year-old man, Taiwo Adebayo Aderoju, during an intelligence-led operation at Ebute Metta on November 10, recovering 119.71kg of cannabis sativa from him.
Another operation in Ajah on November 14 resulted in the recovery of 78.8kg of cannabis, 2.5 litres of skuchies, 6.8 litres of codeine syrup, 23 grams of Rohypnol, 478 grams of tramadol, 10.6kg of nitrous oxide and 714 grams of pregabalin from an abandoned silver Toyota Sienna.
The suspect reportedly escaped after sighting the operatives.
In Kaduna State, NDLEA operatives uncovered an illegal firearms manufacturing factory at Sabon Garin Kangin on November 9 and arrested a 45-year-old suspect, Sagiru Musa.
Items recovered from the facility included 17 locally made Dane guns, two pistols, 25 Dane gun pipes and other materials allegedly used in the fabrication of firearms.
Similarly, a 31-year-old woman, Tabara Dauda, was arrested at Jere along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway on November 13 while allegedly conveying 196 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition and N675,000 cash.
Other operations in the state led to the arrest of Samson Chibuike Andebe, 30, with 3,840 tablets of tramadol weighing 2.5kg at Grace Land, Sabon Gari Local Government Area.
NDLEA operatives also recovered 499.3kg of skunk from two suspects, Celestine Chime, 34, and Chibueze Christ, 36, during a raid on their hideout at Gonin-Gora.
In Ondo State, two suspects, Victor William, 42, and Akeem Azeez, 27, were arrested at Olabi village on November 10 after allegedly bringing bags of cannabis out for sale.
The suspects reportedly led operatives to their storage facility, where 50 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 560kg were recovered.
Another raid on a cannabis farm in Ipele Forest on November 13 led to the arrest of three suspects, Godwin Benson, 30; Muhammed Awwal, 34; and James Timothy, 18, with 122kg of the substance recovered.
Delta State recorded another major seizure on November 12 when NDLEA operatives arrested a 43-year-old woman, Esther Igba, at Alihame, Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area, with 255.67kg of cannabis sativa and 1.5kg of cannabis seeds.
Earlier, on November 10, operatives arrested 25-year-old Aaron Thomas, popularly known as Ibori, at Oguato, Ughelli South Local Government Area, following more than six months of surveillance.
Described by the agency as a major illicit drug distributor operating a notorious bush bar, he was arrested with 360 grams of cannabis, 12.7 litres of codeine syrup, 500 grams of tramadol 100mg, 90 grams of tramadol 200mg, 215 grams of Swinol and 135 grams of Molly (MDMA).
In Osun State, NDLEA operatives arrested two suspects, Eze Chidiebere, 23, and Nwaoge Ugochukwu, 24, during a cannabis farm destruction exercise at Owena Forest Reserve, recovering 86kg of cannabis.
In a related operation within the forest reserve, a 40-year-old suspect, Ugwu Chukwuemeka, was arrested with 28kg of dried cannabis and 21kg of fresh cannabis leaves.
His 0.855-hectare cannabis farm, containing an estimated 2,137.5kg of the plant, was subsequently destroyed.
Meanwhile, in Edo State, NDLEA operatives arrested a 39-year-old woman, Blessing Chukwudi, during a raid at Jamila Street, Ikpoba Hill, Benin City, on November 10.
The operation, which followed weeks of surveillance, led to the recovery of 22 compressed parcels of Loud weighing 14kg, 65 grams of Colorado and 73 grams of methamphetamine.
Beyond enforcement activities, the agency said its commands and formations across the country sustained public sensitisation campaigns under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative.
The campaigns involved enlightenment lectures and advocacy visits to schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities in Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Plateau and Kano states.
Schools visited included Poko Community Primary School, Epe, Lagos; Community Grammar School, Eyinni, Ibadan; Iganmode Grammar School, Ota; Presco High School, Abakaliki; Federal Government Girls College, Efon Alaye; Obasanjo Modern Primary School, Jos; and Government Girls Secondary School, Sabon Garin Gaidam, Kano.
The Ondo State Command also paid an advocacy visit to the Olu of Ilu Abo, Oba Olu Falae, as part of efforts to strengthen community participation in the campaign against drug abuse.
Commending officers and men of the MMIA, Lagos, Kaduna, Ondo, Delta, Osun and Edo commands, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised their vigilance and professionalism.
Marwa said the interception of methamphetamine concealed in breakfast cereal packs demonstrated that no concealment method, regardless of its sophistication, could defeat the determination of the agency’s operatives.
He added that the discovery of the illegal firearms factory in Kaduna further highlighted the connection between illicit drug activities and violent crimes.
The NDLEA chairman charged officers across all commands to sustain the momentum in both drug supply reduction and demand reduction efforts.
