By Omoyeni Ojeifo
Attempts to smuggle cocaine and opioids to the United Kingdom and Australia through export consignments concealed in carton walls have been intercepted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency during a series of nationwide operations.
Details of the operation are contained in a statement sent to Persecondnews on Sunday by the Director of Media and Advocacy of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Femi Babafemi, in Abuja.
The interceptions were made at a courier company in Lagos on Friday 15th May 2026 during examination of export shipments going to the UK and Australia.
No fewer than 170 grams of cocaine sealed in cellophane parcels and buried in the walls of a carton of clothes heading to Australia were recovered.
In a separate interception, a consignment bound for the United Kingdom was found containing 200 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 1,100 capsules of tramadol, and 100 ampoules of promethazine injection.
Meanwhile in Delta State, operatives of the NDLEA on Sunday 10th May raided Ejeonu village in Ukwuani Local Government Area, where they destroyed 27,500 kilograms of skunk cultivated on 11 hectares of farmland and recovered 22.9 kilograms of the substance.
A follow-up operation led to the arrest of a 52-year-old suspect, Ifeanyichukwu Peter, at Obiaruku.
On Tuesday 12th May, a similar raid in Orogun village, Ughelli North LGA resulted in the destruction of 37,500 kilograms of skunk on 15 hectares of farmland and the recovery of 55.4 kilograms.
In connection with the raid, Godwin Vincent Osadera, a 30-year-old suspect, was arrested.
Overall, the agency said the total skunk destroyed in the two Delta operations, supported by soldiers, stood at 65,000 kilograms.
“361 kilograms of skunk were recovered by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 13th May during a raid in the Dan Magaji area of Zaria, Kaduna State, where a suspect, Husaini Suleiman, 42, was arrested.
“On Tuesday 12th May, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Abuja–Kaduna highway intercepted 1,989 rounds of RLA 7.62mm ammunition concealed in fresh white cassava granules locally known as garri.
“Abdullahi Hassan, a 35-year-old suspect, was arrested and later transferred to another security agency for further investigation,” it stated.
Acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Monday 11th May arrested a 29-year-old businessman, Ogadi Peter, who specializes in producing drug-laced cakes and cookies for parties and social gatherings in the Federal Capital Territory.
Peter was arrested at his residence in Life Camp, Abuja, where 800 grams of skunk and 2.70kg of drug-laced cookies were recovered.
In Ogun State, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 13th May recovered 181kg skunk from a suspect, Aliyu Sani, during a raid in the Ogere area.
Also in Taraba State, a suspect, Sufiyanu Mohammed Misa, 27, was arrested on Thursday 14th May along Zaki-Biam road in Wukari LGA with 105,850 pills of opioids including tramadol, diazepam and exol-5.
Similarly, two suspects, Adeleke Olamide Aliyah, 20, and Aloba Abdulazeez, 25, were arrested on Thursday 14th May at Challenge II, Saki town, in connection with the seizure of 99 litres of skuchies.
Elsewhere, in Edo State, NDLEA operatives on Friday 15th May destroyed 1,388.4175 kilograms of skunk on two farms during raids in Ago forest, Orhionmwon LGA.
Aminu Isa, 35, was arrested on Monday 11th May at Sabuwar Sharada in Kano State with 30.5kg of skunk, while a 25-litre jerry can of palm oil used to conceal 1.2kg tramaking 225mg pills was recovered at Kofar Ruwa motor park following credible intelligence.
Across the country, NDLEA’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities also continued during the week, with lectures delivered to students and staff of various schools.
The participating institutions included The Apostolic Church Model College, Ijokodo, Ibadan Oyo State; School of Health Technology, Lambata, Niger State; Yewa Junior High School, Agege, Lagos; Government Secondary School, Yardaje, Katsina; Igogo Commercial High School, Igogo Ekiti; and Government Girls Secondary School, Magwan, Kano State, among others.
The outreach focused on raising awareness about drug abuse and strengthening prevention messaging among students, teachers and wider school communities.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers involved in the operations and urged commands nationwide to sustain balanced efforts in both drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction.
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