Agency Seizes Cocaine Bound for India, Fentanyl and Meth Hidden in UK-Bound Auto Parts, Arrests 80-Year-Old Grandpa and Several Syndicate Members in Nationwide Crackdown
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded another major breakthrough in its sustained offensive against drug trafficking networks, intercepting a large consignment of cocaine ingeniously concealed in the heads of imported dry stock fish and dismantling multiple drug syndicates operating across different parts of the country.
In what security observers describe as a bold demonstration of intelligence-led enforcement, operatives of the Agency also uncovered dangerous shipments of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and morphine sulphate hidden in automobile parts bound for the United Kingdom, while several suspects—including an 80-year-old man—were arrested in coordinated operations spanning Lagos, Ekiti, Ondo, Benue, Edo, and Taraba states.
The series of interceptions, arrests, and seizures underscore the scale of the illicit drug trade and the evolving tactics of traffickers, even as the NDLEA intensifies its nationwide clampdown on narcotics distribution and trans-border trafficking.
Cocaine Hidden in “Okporoko” Heads
One of the most striking seizures was made by operatives of the NDLEA’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Strategic Command, who intercepted a large cocaine consignment concealed inside the heads of imported dry stock fish, popularly known as Okporoko.
The operation followed credible intelligence on the activities of a trans-border drug syndicate involved in shipping narcotics across international routes, particularly to India. Acting on the intelligence, NDLEA officers carried out a well-coordinated sting operation at Ojo area of Lagos on Thursday, 19 March 2026.
During the operation, officers arrested a suspected syndicate kingpin, Akputa Dickson Ejike, 36, who was found with three jumbo-size bags.
A thorough search of the bags led to the discovery of 237 wraps of cocaine carefully buried inside the heads of the dry fish. The illicit drug had a gross weight of 5.80 kilograms and was reportedly intended for export to Delhi, India.
The seizure highlights the increasingly creative concealment methods being adopted by traffickers seeking to beat security checks and exploit legitimate export channels.
UK-Bound Shipments Laced With Hard Drugs
In a separate operation in Lagos, operatives of the NDLEA’s Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted two suspicious consignments at a courier company on Wednesday, 25 March.
The shipments, both headed for the United Kingdom, contained a cocktail of highly dangerous substances hidden in everyday items.
According to the Agency, one parcel that originated from Cotonou, Benin Republic, contained 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in automobile filters.
The second shipment contained 40 ampoules of Morphine Sulphate and nine ampoules of Fentanyl, two potent controlled substances with significant abuse potential and serious public health implications.
The seizure of fentanyl is particularly alarming, given its global notoriety as a powerful synthetic opioid linked to overdose crises in several countries.
“Iya Ghana” Drug Network Crushed in Lagos
The NDLEA also scored a major victory against a notorious cannabis distribution network in Lagos after operatives of its Special Operations Unit (SOU) raided the residence of Omolade Abigail Jolayemi, 46, described as the female head of a notorious syndicate.
The raid, conducted on Thursday, 26 March, at 13 Carter Street, Yaba, led to the arrest of Jolayemi—popularly known as “Iya Ghana”—and her sales girl, Sarah Zainab Agbabiaka, 31.
Recovered from the premises were 135 blocks of Ghana Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, weighing 76.30 kilograms.
Investigators said Jolayemi allegedly operated a dual life: publicly as a trader in local fabrics, but secretly as a major distributor in a drug network linking Nigeria and Ghana.
In another related operation on the same day, SOU operatives arrested Anayo Lucky Ohabiro, 39, at Doyin bus stop, Surulere, after acting on credible intelligence.
From him, officers recovered 78 blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 41 kilograms.
80-Year-Old Grandpa Arrested in Ekiti Raid
In one of the most startling arrests of the week, NDLEA operatives in Ekiti State arrested an 80-year-old man, Oke Samuel, during a special raid at Mosafuneto camp, Erinmo Road, Efon-Alaaye Ekiti, on Thursday, 26 March.
Recovered from the octogenarian were 2.2 kilograms of skunk and 1.8 grams of methamphetamine.
The arrest has again drawn attention to the disturbing reach of the illicit drug trade across age groups and social backgrounds.
Massive Seizures in Ondo, Benue, Edo, and Taraba
The Agency’s nationwide operations also yielded significant seizures in other states:
In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives raided an uncompleted building at Ogbese, Akure North, where they arrested Enuwa Kehinde Kingsley, 37, and seized a staggering 894.72 kilograms of skunk.
In Benue State, a suspect identified as Saater Nyam, 35, was arrested during a raid at Pevi village, Guma LGA, with 116.7 kilograms of skunk recovered from him on Tuesday, 24 March.
In Edo State, officers uncovered a warehouse in Ekpoma town, Esan West LGA, on Monday, 23 March, leading to the arrest of Felix Donald, 25. Recovered from the warehouse were 576.5 kilograms of skunk and 33 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
In Taraba State, NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence intercepted a truck marked DUT 457 ZB on Tuesday, 24 March. The vehicle was conveying 100 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 135 kilograms, cleverly concealed inside bags of animal feed en route from Garbachede to Gombe State. Two suspects—Osama Mamuda, 21, and Auwal Umar, 22—were arrested in connection with the seizure.
NDLEA Sustains Drug War Beyond Arrests
Beyond the seizures and arrests, the NDLEA said its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign continued nationwide, with commands carrying out advocacy and sensitisation programmes in schools and communities across the country.
In the past week alone, WADA lectures were delivered to students and staff of:
Community Secondary School, Itigidi, Abi LGA, Cross River
Government Girls Secondary School, Yola, Adamawa
Islamic High School, Igbeti, Oyo State
Gidan Sarki Primary School, Kano
Royal Legends Academy, Ibeshe, Ikorodu, Lagos State
The advocacy drive forms part of the Agency’s dual strategy of reducing both the supply of illicit substances and the demand for them through prevention and public education.
Marwa Commends Officers
Reacting to the string of successful operations, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers and men of the MMIA, SOU, DOGI, Ekiti, Ondo, Benue, Edo, and Taraba Commands for their professionalism and determination.
He also praised officers across the country for maintaining what he described as a fair balance between drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
A Renewed Warning to Traffickers
The latest seizures send a strong warning to drug traffickers and organised criminal networks that the NDLEA remains firmly on their trail, no matter how sophisticated or unconventional their concealment methods may be.
From cocaine hidden in dry fish heads to fentanyl concealed in courier parcels and cannabis stockpiled in warehouses, the operations reveal a dangerous and constantly evolving underworld.
But they also reveal something else: an increasingly proactive and intelligence-driven NDLEA determined to choke the supply lines of narcotics, dismantle criminal syndicates, and protect communities from the devastating consequences of drug abuse and trafficking.
