…three suspects linked to the cargo arrested
A consignment of cocaine and 225mg tramadol hidden inside 71 vehicle side mirrors bound for Gabon has been intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.
The drugs were being shipped to Libreville, Gabon, from the airport’s export shed, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced in another significant breakthrough in its fight against drug trafficking.
Following the discovery, three suspects linked to the cargo were arrested in follow-up operations.
According to Mr Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, the first batch of the consignment, consisting of 57,420 pills of tramadol 225mg and 57 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.60kg, was intercepted in a cargo going to Gabon on Air Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday, July 19, 2025.
Babafemi said in a statement sent to Persecondnews on Sunday, August 3, that a popular cargo agent, Ihekweme Osinachi Benedict, handling the shipment, was immediately arrested; further investigation subsequently led to the arrest of another suspect, Uzochukwu Godspower Chukwurah, on Sunday, July 20.
Eleven parcels of cocaine, with a total weight of 1kg, were later recovered from four additional side mirrors being prepared for export, found in Uzochukwu’s home on Monday, July 21 bringing the total number of parcels of cocaine to 68, weighing 2.60 kilograms.
The statement said: “In a related development, NDLEA operatives arrested a businesswoman, Nwafor Roseann Nneka, at her shop in the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, Lagos, on Friday, August 1.
“The arrest followed the interception of 100 grams of cocaine and 300 grams of phenacetine, a cutting agent, concealed in ladies’ lipsticks bound for Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, through the Lagos airport’s export shed on July 10, 2025.
“Two cargo agents linked to the shipment had been arrested earlier, prior to the eventual arrest of Nneka, who runs the criminal trade as a family business with her husband, Remigus Nwafor, currently on the run.
“In her statement, Nwafor admitted she bought the lipsticks used to conceal the illicit drugs while her husband handled the actual concealment.
“In Abuja, the nation’s Federal Capital Territory, NDLEA operatives conducting intelligence-led stop-and-search operations in the Gwarimpa, Jahi, and Galadimawa areas of the FCT on Wednesday, July 30, arrested three dispatch riders: Sabo Sule, 24; Samuel Nnamdi, 28; and Idris Jibrin, 28, for distributing illicit substances around the city.
“A total of 149.8 grams of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, was recovered from them. Two other suspects, Aliyu Abubakar, 25, and Adekunle Agbabiaka, 30, were arrested along the Abaji-Gwagwalada expressway with 91.1kg of skunk, a strain of cannabis, on Saturday, August 2.”
It added: “In Lagos, NDLEA officers, acting on intelligence, arrested Joseph Michael with 3.3 kilograms of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, in Mushin on Saturday, August 2, while Ibrahim Sulaiman was nabbed in the Iwaya area of Yaba with 16.5 litres of skuchies on Friday, August 1.
“No fewer than 100,000 pills of tramadol capsules were seized from a suspect, Hussein Yusuf, 37, at an NDLEA checkpoint along the Vandeikya-Ogoja road in Benue state on Friday, August 1, while operatives in Edo state, on the same day, raided a warehouse in Ekpoma, where a suspect, William Alabi, 44, was arrested and 233.5kg of skunk was recovered.
“In Borno state, NDLEA operatives at the arrival hall of the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport (MBIAM) Maiduguri on Friday August 1, intercepted a consignment of 160 pills of tramadol concealed in footwears by a 38-year-old passenger, Umar Aminu who was promptly arrested.
“While NDLEA operatives in Ogun state raided the Oja Odan area and arrested a female suspect, Yahaya Aminat Seyi, with 7,218 pills of opioids, mainly tramadol, on Friday, August 1, their counterparts in Oyo state nabbed Oladeji Saka, 54, with 77.5 kilograms of skunk at Asanike, Ibadan.
“Meanwhile, another suspect, Benson Izah, 40, was arrested in Abraka, Delta state, with 12.5kg of skunk, 1kg of tramadol, and 14.4 litres of codeine.
“In Bayelsa state, NDLEA officers on Friday August 1, arrested 52-year-old Emeka Opara and Onuoha Chidinma, 25, along Tantua road, Amassoma where a total of 41,705 tramadol capsules, among other assorted opioids were recovered from their shop and residence, while a suspect Bashir Gambo, 30, was nabbed at Yar Yasa town, Tudun Wada LGA, Kano state, with 61kg skunk.”
NDLEA also stated: “Two suspects: Kabiru Ayinde, 40; and Roqeeb Adekanmbi, 25, were on Monday, July 28, arrested at Ile-Ogbo area of Iwo town, Osun state, where 90kg skunk, 36.3grams of methamphetamine, a Toyota bus marked SMK 755 YF and N228,200.00 cash exhibit were recovered from them.”
Similarly, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities, among others, over the past week.
These include WADA enlightenment lectures to students and staff of Ciroma Ibrahim Islamiyya School, Potiskum, Yobe; Sultan Maccido Institute for Qur’an and General Studies, Wamakko, Sokoto; metro drivers of Borno Express Transport Services, Maiduguri, Borno state; and worshippers at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Abakpa Nike, Enugu state.
Meanwhile, the Osun State command of the NDLEA has paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Oluwo of Iwo in Osun State, Oba Abdurasheed Adewale Akanbi.
The NDLEA Chairman/CEO, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of the MMIA, MBIAM, FCT, Lagos, Edo, Oyo, Delta, Bayelsa, Benue, Kano, and Osun commands for the arrests, seizures, and their dexterity.
He also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
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