NDLEA Intercepts Saudi-Bound Cannabis Hidden in Palm Oil, Seizes N7bn Tramadol

… An 85-year-old grandmother is among suspects arrested as anti-narcotics operatives uncover illicit drugs across eight locations.

Oru Leonard 

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a Saudi Arabia-bound cannabis consignment concealed in a gallon of palm oil at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, while uncovering 8,725 kilogrammes of powdered tramadol valued at over ₦6.98 billion at the Apapa Port in Lagos.

The operations, conducted across several states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), also led to the seizure of large consignments of cannabis, tramadol, diazepam and other illicit substances, with dozens of suspects arrested, including an 85-year-old grandmother in Edo State.

The NDLEA disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

At the Kano airport, operatives on Friday, October 16, intercepted a female passenger, Fatimah Ahmad, during the outward clearance of an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, via Addis Ababa.

A search revealed 511.75 grammes of cannabis, popularly known as skunk, concealed in a gallon of palm oil.

Ahmad reportedly told investigators that her cousin, Abubakar Yahaya, had given her the gallon. Yahaya was subsequently arrested at the airport car park.

In a major seizure at the Apapa Port in Lagos, NDLEA operatives, working with the Nigeria Customs Service and other relevant agencies, discovered a shipment of powdered tramadol imported from India and falsely declared as maize starch.

The consignment, uncovered on October 2 at the APM terminals, was subjected to laboratory analysis, which confirmed that the substance was tramadol hydrochloride powder.

When the drugs were separated from their concealment on October 14, they were found in 349 bags weighing 8,725kg, with an estimated street value exceeding ₦6.98 billion.

At the Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, operatives on October 12 discovered 55kg of Canadian Loud, valued at ₦165 million, during a joint examination of a 40-foot container.

The illicit substance was packed in brown cartons and concealed inside a Toyota Sienna vehicle transported in the container.

Further operations in Lagos led to the arrest of Elizabeth Chidera Kalu at Idumota Market on October 14, with 10,600 ampoules of diazepam injection and 6,500 tablets of Molly recovered from her store.

Two other suspects, Idowu Daudu and Ahmed Oniyinde, both 35, were arrested in Mushin on October 15 with 59.95kg and 61.23kg of skunk, respectively.

In another operation along Iyana Oba, NDLEA operatives intercepted a truck conveying illicit drugs from Trade Fair Market. The operation led to the arrest of the loading manager, Tajudeen Adeduntan, and his assistant, Azeez Sikiru.

A search of the vehicle uncovered 18,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in cartons labelled as Rambo insecticide.

In Edo State, NDLEA operatives arrested six suspects during raids in Warake, Ivhiaro and Ewe/Irue communities in Owan East Local Government Area between October 15 and 16.

The suspects included 85-year-old Grace Ehimeka, who was arrested at Warake with 179kg of skunk.

Others were Ayo Aigberadion, 53, found with 220.8kg of cannabis at Ewe/Irue; Ali Garba, 57, with 5.852kg; Habib Braimoh, 45, with 100 grammes; Musa Mubid, 35, with 2kg of cannabis, cannabis seeds, tramadol, Swinol and diazepam; and Hope Okoro, 35, with 237 grammes of Loud.

In Ondo State, operatives raided a cannabis farm in the Okemoro Isinbode camp forest on October 17, destroying an estimated 7,500kg of skunk cultivated on three hectares of land.

Five suspects were arrested during the operation: Asikpo Ekpeyoung, 43; Solomon Okpani, 22; Ubong Friday, 35; Joseph Friday, 22; and Ekenimi Seth, 35.

The agency also recovered 92 bags of skunk weighing 1,267kg, alongside 11kg of cannabis seeds and 3kg of fresh cannabis stems, bringing the weight of the recovered exhibits to 1,281kg.

In a separate operation in Owo, operatives tracked 53-year-old Okunebe Ndidi to his hideout in Ameyinti on October 16, where they recovered 25 bags of cannabis weighing 375kg.

In Bauchi State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a Volkswagen Golf wagon driven by 35-year-old Shamsu Garba at Ragwam village in Katagum Local Government Area on October 14.

A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 894,800 pills of tramadol capsules and Exol-5 tablets.

On the same day, officers on patrol along the Bauchi-Gombe Road recovered 291 blocks of cannabis weighing 265kg from an abandoned vehicle at Tudun Natsira village.

In Kano State, two suspects, Ali Abdullahi, 38, and Ibrahim Adamu, 23, were arrested along the Zaria-Kano Road on October 13 with 30,100 tablets of tramadol 225mg.

Another suspect, 54-year-old Murtala Dayyabu, was arrested at Niger Street, Malan Kato, on October 14 with 100,000 tablets of Exol-5.

In Kaduna State, raids at Kayimi village resulted in the arrest of Mohammed Sani, 48; Zaharadeen Shafiu, 29; and Yakubu Abdullahi, 20, with 496.5kg of cannabis.

At Food Palace on Ali Akilu Road, Kaduna, operatives also arrested 39-year-old John Ayo David with 49,500 tablets of tramadol 225mg.

Similarly, in the FCT, a 42-year-old suspect, Odo Jonas Ejike, was arrested in the Utako area on October 17 with 29,500 capsules of tramadol.

Beyond enforcement operations, the agency said its commands and formations across the country sustained their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, religious centres, workplaces and communities during the week.

The outreach programmes covered institutions including Nawar-Ur-Deen High School, Ogboro, Oyo State; Elf Junior Secondary School, Bojude, Gombe State; Cherubim and Seraphim Primary School, Ikorodu, Lagos State; Harmony Secondary School, Lokoja, Kogi State; and Government Secondary School, Ikot Ansa, Calabar, Cross River State.

Other beneficiaries included Rivers State College of Health Science and Management Technology, Port Harcourt; Mesh International School, Benin City, Edo State; and Abu Hanifa Academy, Kano Municipal, Kano State.

Commending officers and men of the Apapa, Tin Can, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Lagos, Edo, Bauchi, Ondo, Kano and FCT commands, the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised their professionalism and intelligence-led operations.

Marwa urged personnel nationwide to sustain the crackdown on drug trafficking networks while maintaining the agency’s balanced approach to drug control, combining enforcement with preventive education and public awareness.