Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have recorded major successes in ongoing anti-drug operations across Nigeria, intercepting cocaine concealed in food flasks, recovering large consignments of illicit drugs, and arresting multiple suspects, including a fashion designer.
In Lagos, NDLEA officers at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport intercepted 12 parcels of cocaine weighing 2.80 kilograms. The drugs were cleverly hidden in the false bottoms of food flasks and were bound for the United Kingdom via a Virgin Atlantic flight. Two cargo agents were initially arrested, while further investigations led to the arrest of the alleged sender in a follow-up operation.
In a separate operation at the airport’s import shed, operatives uncovered 2.90 kilograms of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, concealed in snack packs on a shipment arriving from the United States aboard a Delta Air Lines flight. Two clearing agents were first apprehended, before the consignee—a 29-year-old fashion designer—was arrested at his residence in Lagos.
Outside the airport, NDLEA operations extended nationwide. Along the Kaduna-Zaria highway, officers intercepted a truck loaded with cement but concealing 847 kilograms of cannabis. The driver was taken into custody.
In forest operations, NDLEA operatives raided illicit cannabis farms in Cross River and Edo states. In Cross River, a six-hectare plantation yielded the destruction of 15,000 kilograms of cannabis, with additional quantities recovered and a suspect arrested. Similarly, in Edo State, over 2,200 kilograms of cannabis were destroyed, with three suspects apprehended on-site.
Further seizures were recorded in Delta and Lagos states. In Delta, suspects were caught with significant quantities of cannabis and seeds, while in Lagos, officers intercepted a truck transporting tramadol capsules and phenobarbital injections along the Mile 2–Badagry expressway. A separate raid on a building in Lagos Island led to the recovery of nearly 96 kilograms of cannabis.
Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA also intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, conducting sensitization programs in schools and communities across several states, including Niger, Cross River, Kogi, Katsina, Kano, and Lagos.
Chairman of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers across various state commands for their coordinated efforts, urging them to sustain the momentum in both drug supply reduction and public awareness campaigns.
The operations highlight the agency’s continued commitment to disrupting drug trafficking networks and curbing substance abuse nationwide.
