Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intensified their nationwide anti-narcotics operations, arresting a former Lagos councillor and uncovering multiple drug consignments concealed in unusual ways, including inside baby diapers, while also intercepting materials suspected to be components for improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
In one of the major arrests, NDLEA officers apprehended 45-year-old Sheleru Sadiq Olalekan, a former two-term councillor in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area. Olalekan, who previously represented the Orimedu community and currently works as a legislative aide, was arrested on March 2 at his residence in Ilado, Ibeju-Lekki.
A search of his home led to the recovery of 40 kilogrammes of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis, concealed in one of the rooms. The suspect reportedly admitted ownership of the drugs and the premises where they were found.
In a separate operation in the Federal Capital Territory, NDLEA operatives intercepted a businessman, 32-year-old Emeka Okwor, travelling from Obollo-Afor to Zuba in Abuja.
During a search of his luggage, officers discovered 1,000 pills of tapentadol 250mg hidden inside baby diapers. The suspect reportedly confessed that he was transporting the drugs to Guduwa village in Gurara Local Government Area, where he operates a provision store.
On the same day, NDLEA patrol officers along the Kabba–Obajana highway in Kogi State intercepted a consignment of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, weighing 1.55 kilogrammes and concealed inside a carton of a standing fan.
According to a statement on Sunday by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, the drugs were traced to a 36-year-old Cameroonian national, Mey Ali Muhamat, who was travelling in a commercial bus from Lagos to Cameroon through Lokoja, Kano and Maiduguri.
In another development, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Mokwa–Jebba road in Niger State intercepted a commercial bus transporting 500 items suspected to be components for improvised explosive devices.
The items were concealed in a white sack and were reportedly destined for a recipient in Pelegi community. Babafemi said a follow-up operation led to the arrest of the alleged recipient, 21-year-old Osama Abdullahi, in Mashegu Local Government Area.
The agency also recorded several major drug seizures across the country.
In Yola, NDLEA officers uncovered 122,000 tramadol pills and 700 grammes of methamphetamine hidden in a false compartment of a truck carrying 2,000 cartons of local drinks.
In Kano, a 20-year-old suspect, Muhammed Ali, was arrested at Gadar Tamburawa with 11,283 tramadol pills.
Similarly, operatives in Ogun State raided a drug hideout in Ogere, arresting Nazifi Mudansir and Kabiru Musa with 46 kilogrammes of skunk.
In Delta State, two suspects—Joy Chukwuma, 25, and Eugene Felix, 22—were apprehended in Ogwashi-Uku with 18.63 kilogrammes of skunk, 10.8 litres of codeine-based syrup and 4,268 pills of tramadol and swinol.
A major cannabis cultivation site was also dismantled in Edo State, where NDLEA operatives arrested Eke London, 48, and Austin Isusi, 49, at Egbisi forest in Uhumwonde Local Government Area and destroyed 1,910.25 kilogrammes of skunk on two farms.
Another suspect, Alaba Adeboye, 47, was arrested in Ikhin town, Owan East Local Government Area, with 176.5 kilogrammes of skunk.
Beyond enforcement operations, the NDLEA said it has continued to expand its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign in schools, religious centres and communities nationwide.
The agency said outreach programmes were recently conducted in secondary schools across Oyo State, Niger State, Zamfara State, Lagos State, Sokoto State, Ebonyi State and Anambra State.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Buba Marwa, commended officers across the Lagos, FCT, Kano, Niger, Kogi, Edo, Ogun, Delta and Adamawa commands for the arrests and seizures.
He urged them to sustain the agency’s strategy of aggressive enforcement combined with sustained public education to curb drug abuse and trafficking across the country.
