The war against drug trafficking in Nigeria has intensified with the arrest of Mbala Abuba, a 42-year-old Angolan businessman, by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Abuba, a native of Zaire Province, was apprehended on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at Mallam Aminaj Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano while trying to board an Egypt Air flight to Istanbul with cocaine.
The agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, said a body scan confirmed that the suspect had ingested illicit drugs, leading to his placement under observation.
The suspect, according to Babafemi, eventually excreted 120 pellets of cocaine, weighing 1.829 kilograms, over seven rounds after several hours of observation.
The statement reads: “In his statement, the suspect claimed he was into the business of township delivery services in Angola before delving into the illicit drug trade.”
In a separate operation, NDLEA said its officers also foiled an attempt by Okeke Igwe, a spare parts dealer, to smuggle 1.10 kilograms of cocaine hidden in vehicle propellers to Angola.
Babafemi said Igwe was arrested on Monday, February 24, 2025, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos.
He said: “A similar attempt by an auto spare parts dealer, Okeke Ebuka Igwe, to send two parcels of 1.10kg cocaine concealed in vehicle propellers to Angola through the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos, was thwarted by NDLEA operatives who arrested him on Monday 24th February following credible intelligence.
“During an interview with the suspect, he claimed that he is a businessman selling auto parts in ASPANDA, Trade Fair Complex, Ojo area of Lagos.”
Babafemi said another smuggler, Ezechi Cyprian was arrested on Sunday, February 23, 2025, after being caught transporting 5.40kg of cocaine to Owerri, Imo State, in a Toyota Sienna.
According to him, the arrest was the culmination of weeks of meticulous surveillance by NDLEA operatives.
Babafemi further said that a collaborative effort by NDLEA, Customs, and other security agencies at Tincan Seaport in Lagos on Friday, February 28, 2025, resulted in the seizure of 128 parcels of Canadian Loud, a potent cannabis strain, concealed in two mattresses within a Toyota Venza imported from Canada.
He said: “At the Tincan seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Friday, 28th February, discovered a total of 128 parcels of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis concealed in two mattresses in the trunk of a Toyota Venza car imported from Canada.
“The discovery of the 63.75kg consignment was made during a joint examination of a targeted container marked TCNU 1945861 from Montreal, Canada, by NDLEA, Customs and other security agencies.
“The consignee of the shipment, 44-year-old Bamidele Joseph has been arrested and taken into custody.”
In Delta State, NDLEA operatives, backed by the military, launched a successful raid on a massive 20-hectare cannabis farm located in Innam-Abbi/Orogun, Ndokwa West council area.
The operation resulted in the destruction of over 50,000 kilograms of illicit cannabis crops and the arrest of five suspects, according to Babafemi.
The statement added: “Five suspects arrested during the raid include: Augustine Subaru, 45; Ukoba Malachukwu, 53; Odalonu Emmanuel, 40; Esuabom Macaulay, 35; and Itoje Safe, 54.
“In another operation in Delta, NDLEA operatives on Friday, 28th February, intercepted a Mercedes Benz truck marked AWK 791 ZJ along Abraka-Orogun road. A search of the truck led to the recovery of 101 bags of skunk with a total weight of 1,111kg.”
In Edo State, Babafemi said NDLEA and military operatives stormed the Okpuje community, Owan West LGA, on Saturday, March 1, 2025, seizing 1,409.5kg of skunk and destroying over 100 jumbo bags of the substance stored in warehouses.
He said the suspects arrested include Oikelomen Osere Monday (38) and Glory Iroyo (42).
The statement further added that, “While a suspect, Michael Omoloki, 46, was arrested with 58.5 kilograms of skunk at the Ibadan end of the Lagos -Ibadan expressway, Oyo state, operatives in Kwara state on Monday 24th February nabbed a Beninoise Lawali Mohammed with 2,980 tablets of tramadol and dozens of diazepam pills at Eiyenkorin expressway, Ilorin.
“In Osun, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Ibadan/ Gbongan expressway on Thursday 27th February intercepted a consignment of 1.05kg skunk concealed in detergent soap and biscuit carton, while Sunday Ogbu, 45, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
“A suspect, Ayuba Mustapha, 30, was arrested at Tsafe, Zamfara state, with 24,700 pills of tramadol on Sunday, 23rd February.
“In Borno state, Mustapha Shettima, 50, was arrested by NDLEA operatives with 31kg skunk, 1,000 pills of tramadol and N720,000 monetary exhibit along Bama road, Maiduguri on Wednesday 26th February, while Adamu Idris, 40, was nabbed along Zaria road, Kano, same day with 140 blocks of cannabis weighing 73.5kg.”
In a proactive move, the agency has recently taken the fight against illicit substances directly to the traffickers’ doorsteps.
In 2024, the agency achieved remarkable milestones, seizing over 2.6 million kilograms of illicit drugs nationwide.
It also apprehended more than 18,500 drug trafficking offenders, securing over 3,250 convictions, including 10 high-profile drug barons.
Furthermore, the NDLEA destroyed extensive cannabis farms spanning over 220 hectares, dealing a significant blow to illicit drug cultivation.
It also demonstrated its commitment to prevention and rehabilitation by counselling and rehabilitating over 8,200 individuals.
Additionally, it conducted more than 3,000 sensitization and advocacy programmes across various settings, including schools, markets, motor parks, worship centres, workplaces, and communities.
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