The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted illicit drugs worth over ₦6.5 billion at seaports in Lagos and Rivers States, including six million pills of opioids and 332,000 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup
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The seizures were made at the Apapa port in Lagos and the Onne Port in Rivers following intelligence-led operations and thorough container inspections. At Onne, the NDLEA, alongside Customs and other security agencies, uncovered six million pills of tamol, tapentadol and carisoprodol, as well as 162,000 bottles of codeine syrup in two containers on 19 and 20 May. At Apapa, an additional 170,000 bottles of codeine syrup were found during a similar exercise on 22 May.
In a related development, two British nationals—Mhizha Jordan Alexander Tatendra and Ayedipe Andrew Adejuwon—and two Nigerians were arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while attempting to smuggle 92 bags of Loud (a potent cannabis strain) weighing 51.1kg into the country.
Alexander, who arrived from Doha on 15 May, was allowed through airport security and monitored to the car park, where Adejuwon, a British-Nigerian, awaited in an SUV with co-suspects Shonowo Oluwaseun Imole and Ofuoma Omokaro Ayobami. They were arrested as they attempted to leave the premises.
Alexander confessed he had been promised £1,300 for the delivery. Adejuwon admitted entering Nigeria via Ghana the day before. A follow-up search of their Lekki apartment led to the seizure of ₦3.8 million in cash, South African Rand, gadgets, and nitrous oxide canisters.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives destroyed 75,000kg of skunk on 30 hectares of cannabis farms in Cross River State. An additional 200kg was recovered from Esuk-Odot village in Odukpani LGA on 22 May. In Edo State, nearly 2,000kg of skunk was destroyed in raids across Ohosu forest and Okhuse community forest between 23 and 24 May.
In Nasarawa, 4,000kg of skunk hidden under unprocessed wood was found in a lorry in Keffi on 24 May, leading to the arrest of two suspects. Another man was caught in Karu with 154.5kg of the same substance.
Other arrests include:
A 22-year-old intercepted in Kaduna with 57,750 pills of tramadol and diazepam.
A 45-year-old man caught in Bauchi with 45kg of skunk.
A 29-year-old man detained in Yobe while attempting to smuggle 2kg of Colorado (synthetic cannabis) into Chad via Borno.
A suspect in Niger State arrested with 97kg of compressed cannabis in a Mercedes Benz.
Two men arrested in Lagos with various drugs, including cocaine, meth, molly, codeine, and nitrous oxide.
Across the country, NDLEA also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign with advocacy visits and sensitisation lectures in schools and communities, including in Katsina, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Adamawa, Kano and Lagos.
Commending the efforts, NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) praised the agency’s officers for maintaining a balance between drug supply reduction and public education campaigns.
