In another major bust, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted about
3,500,000 pills of opioids and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup with a combined street value of over N3.428 billion in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Lagos State.
The bulk of the seizures—2,000,000 pills of Tafrodol 225mg and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup—was made on April 29, 2025, during a joint examination of a watch-listed container by NDLEA officers, men of the Customs Service, and other security agencies at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State.
In a statement sent to Persecondnews on Sunday in Abuja, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, said that in an operation in Lagos on April 29, a total of 1,500,000 pills of a controlled opioid were recovered from a suspect, Olarenwaju Wahab, at the Alaba-Rago area of Ojo on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
The source of the consignment, according to him, was traced to Q104B Road 25, Victoria Garden City, Lekki, which is the residence of one Obinna Kenneth, who is currently at large.
The statement reads: “Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport(MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, have intercepted 42 parcels of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 20kg, concealed in tins of chocolate, Milo beverage, white kidney beans, and dark red kidney beans, packaged as part of cargo that came into the Lagos airport onboard a British Airways flight from Canada.
“At least, three suspects including the receiver of the consignment, Monsurat Ewawunmi Lawson, have been arrested between April 30, and May 3.
“In like manner, a businessman, Bobby Morris Osas, was arrested on May 2 at the Lagos airport while attempting to board a Turkish Airlines flight to Italy. A thorough search of his luggage led to the seizure of 8,130 pills of tramadol (225mg, 200mg, and 100mg).
“Attempt by another syndicate to ship 104grams of tramadol and skunk concealed in bottles of body cream to Iraq through a courier company in Lagos was also thwarted on April 28 by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation(DOGI).
“In Kaduna, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kaduna – Zaria expressway on May 3 intercepted a commercial vehicle coming from Nasarawa State heading to Zamfara State. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a total of 942 explosives concealed in a sack and the subsequent arrest of a 30-year-old suspect Nura Sani Muhammad (alias Nura Hariji).
“NDLEA Chairman has directed that the suspect and exhibits be transferred to the appropriate security agency for further action.”
In another operation in Kano on April 30, NDLEA operatives arrested five members of a syndicate led by Aminu Musa (a.k.a Kadagi) at Dangoro market and recovered 50 blocks of skunk weighing 21.6kg from them.
In Edo state, operatives acting on intelligence intercepted on May 1, at Uromi, Esan North-East, a white Toyota bus conveying assorted opioids from Onitsha, Anambra state, heading to Auchi.
Recovered from the vehicle included 314,020 pills of tramadol, rophynol, diazepam, Exol-5; 638 bottles of codeine syrup; and 200 ampoules of pentazocine injection, while one suspect, Dare Adeyemo, was taken into custody.
The statement further reads: “A Mazda commercial bus marked XA343TSE was equally intercepted at Agu-Awka junction, Awka, Anambra state by NDLEA operatives on April 30 while a total of 50,400 capsules of tramadol, 500 tablets of co-codamol and 300 ampoules of pentazocine injection were recovered and a suspect Chinedu Eneh arrested.
“In Niger state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Kontagora -Mokwa road on May 3 intercepted a Mitsubishi canter truck marked RBH 104 ZY. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 5,500 capsules of tramadol and 2,300 ampoules of pentazocine injection as well as the arrest of a suspect Yusuf Abubakar, 30.
“After 10 months of painstaking investigation, NDLEA operatives on April 26 arrested a wanted drug kingpin, the 52-year-old Managing Director of Ovidaq International Ltd, Dominic Chiegozie Obijiaku over his involvement in the importation of a consignment of 2,616,060 pills of tramadol 225mg intercepted by NDLEA at Apapa seaport in Lagos July 28, 2024.
“A follow-up operation at his house in Lekki led to the seizure of 51 wraps of Canadian Loud weighing 34grams.”
The War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA commands continued across the country over the past week.
Some examples include WADA sensitization lecture delivered to students and staff of Al-istigama University, Kano and students and staff of Government Girls Junior Secondary School, Kankia, Katsina state, among others.
NDLEA Chairman/CEO, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Mar was, for commended the officers and men of various commands, including DOGI, MMIA in Lagos, Kano, PHG in Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Anambra, Edo, Niger, and Apapa, for their recent successes in drug enforcement.
He also praised other commands nationwide for balancing efforts in reducing both drug supply and demand effectively.
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