Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted large consignments of opioids, cannabis, and methamphetamine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and a courier facility in Lagos.
The illicit substances were ingeniously concealed in everyday items, including body cream containers, winter jackets, and carton walls, highlighting the evolving tactics of drug trafficking networks.
According to a statement issued by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, two suspects travelling to Italy were apprehended in separate operations.
One suspect, Friday Ehianuka, was intercepted while attempting to board a flight to Rome with thousands of tramadol pills hidden inside containers of skin-lightening cream. He reportedly confessed that he was promised payment in euros if the drugs successfully reached Italy, underscoring the international scope of the operation.
In a similar case days earlier, Christian Agbonhese was arrested while trying to board a flight to Milan. A search of his luggage uncovered more than 28,000 pills of tramadol and tapentadol concealed inside winter jackets.
Beyond airport operations, NDLEA officers also made significant discoveries at a Lagos courier facility, where a parcel containing a strong strain of cannabis known as “Loud,” shipped from the United States, was intercepted. In the same operation, officers thwarted an attempt to export methamphetamine hidden within carton walls to New Zealand.
The crackdown extended nationwide. In Kano State, two suspects were arrested with nearly 200 kilograms of skunk. In Lagos, operatives raided a storage facility in the Ijora area, recovering over 21,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup. Two more suspects were apprehended on the Third Mainland Bridge while transporting additional quantities.
In Edo State, officers uncovered nearly 100 kilograms of skunk hidden in a residential building, while in Abuja, a commercial bus was intercepted along the Gwagwalada expressway carrying more than 91,000 tramadol pills concealed within its body panels, leading to the driver’s arrest.
Further operations in Oyo, Kaduna, and Taraba states exposed the widespread scale of the drug trade. In one of the largest seizures, NDLEA operatives recovered over half a million tramadol and other opioid pills along the Kaduna-Zaria highway. Another suspect was arrested in Taraba with tens of thousands of tramadol capsules.
In Adamawa State, a follow-up intelligence operation led to the arrest of six individuals connected to an 82.8kg tramadol consignment discovered in a truck in Yola, demonstrating the agency’s coordinated enforcement strategy.
Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA continues to strengthen preventive measures through its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, engaging students, teachers, and communities nationwide to raise awareness about the dangers of substance abuse.
The NDLEA Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers for their efforts and stressed the importance of maintaining a dual approach that combines aggressive enforcement with sustained public education.
What you should know
The NDLEA’s latest operations highlight the growing sophistication and scale of drug trafficking networks operating within and beyond Nigeria.
With drugs concealed in everyday items and trafficked across international routes, enforcement agencies face increasing challenges.
The seizures also underscore the rising abuse of opioids like tramadol and codeine in Nigeria, making prevention campaigns such as WADA critical in addressing both supply and demand aspects of the crisis.
