NDLEA foils drug smuggling attempts in Lagos.

Officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted multiple shipments of illicit drugs hidden in unusual ways, including inside cardboard walls, winter jackets and body cream containers, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport and in a courier company in Lagos.

The anti-narcotics agency also reported major seizures and arrests during coordinated operations in several states including Kano State, Kaduna State, Edo State, Oyo State, Federal Capital Territory, Taraba State and Adamawa State.

Desperate attempts by drug trafficking organizations to smuggle opioids and methamphetamines into European countries have been thwarted through intelligence-led operations, according to the agency’s spokeswoman, Femi Babafemi.

He said in a statement on Sunday that at the Lagos airport, NDLEA officers arrested Friday Ehianuka, 37, last Friday as he attempted to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Rome. A search of his luggage uncovered 2,698 225mg tramadol pills hidden inside containers of skin-lightening body cream.

Ehianuka, who resides in Milan, allegedly admitted that he was promised payment in euros if he successfully delivered the drugs.

In another operation, on March 18, NDLEA officers in the airport’s departure lounge intercepted Christian Agbonhese, 38, who was preparing to board a Lufthansa flight to Milan. A thorough search of his luggage revealed 28,470 opioid pills hidden inside two large winter jackets. The drugs seized included 23,150 pills of tramadol 225 mg, 4,000 tablets of tapentadol 250 mg and 1,320 pills of tramadol 100 mg.

Elsewhere in Lagos, NDLEA operatives at a courier company intercepted two parcels containing one kilogram of “Loud”, a potent strain of cannabis shipped from the United States to Nigeria. Another package containing 158 grams of methamphetamine, hidden in the walls of a carton and destined for New Zealand, was also seized.

In Kano, two suspects were arrested on March 18 with large quantities of skunk, a strong strain of cannabis. Abdulkadir Mamuda, 35, was arrested in Dan-Tsalle with 102.5 kilograms of the substance, while Uche Festus, 47, was arrested in Naibawa Gabas with 95.5 kilograms.

A raid in Ijora area Otto in Lagos led to the recovery of 21,737 bottles of codeine-based syrup, while two suspects – Chidiebere Anigbogu and Paul Nwagbara – were arrested on the Third Mainland Bridge with 8,380 bottles of the same substance.

In Edo State, NDLEA operatives recovered 97.5 kilograms of skunk from the residence of Akeem Idde, 37, in Ojah, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area.

Similarly, officers in Abuja intercepted a commercial bus along the Gwagwalada Expressway, recovering 91,840 tramadol pills hidden inside the body compartments of the vehicle. The driver, Aminu Ali, 27, was arrested.

In Oyo State, a suspect identified as Bankole Bari was arrested on March 17 in Oke-Oyan, Ibarapa Local Government Area, with 71.2 kilograms of skunk believed to have been smuggled into Nigeria from Benin via Oyan River.

Further seizures were recorded in Kaduna State, where NDLEA operatives recovered 586,000 tramadol and Exol-5 pills from Lawal Anas along the Kaduna-Zaria highway. Another suspect, Musa Shuaibu, was arrested at the same location with 7,290 225 mg tramadol tablets.

In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives intercepted Aliyu Adamu along the Takum-Jalingo Highway with 77,660 Tramadol capsules transported to Gombe State.

Meanwhile, in Yola, six suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure of 82.8 kilograms of tramadol hidden in a truck. Those arrested include Ramatu Aliyu, Jungudo Abdullahi, Najid Abdullahi, Musa Mohammed, Usman Abdulrahim and Musa Mohammed.

In addition to enforcement operations, the NDLEA said it has also intensified awareness campaigns on the War on Drug Abuse (WADA) in schools and communities nationwide.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.) has commended the agency command officers involved in the arrests and seizures. He urged them to support a balanced enforcement and public awareness strategy in combating drug abuse and trafficking across the country.

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