Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted several consignments of illicit drugs ingeniously concealed in frozen snails, electrical bulbs, and female clothes, bound for the United States, United Kingdom, and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The seizures were made at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) and a courier company in Lagos.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that two suspects linked to the foiled export attempts are currently in custody.
One of the suspects, Boladale Riliwan, a cargo agent, was arrested on October 7, 2025, after operatives discovered 15 parcels of skunk (a potent strain of cannabis) hidden inside ten giant rechargeable bulbs destined for DRC at the MMIA export shed.
Similarly, 48-year-old Olawale Hakeemot, a UK-based Public Health Assistant, was apprehended on October 12 at the airport’s Terminal 2 while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Manchester. NDLEA officials found 2,300 pills of Tramadol 225mg concealed inside frozen snails packed in her luggage.
In another operation, NDLEA officers at a Lagos courier company intercepted 810 pills of Bromazepam cleverly hidden in female clothing en route to the United States.
The anti-narcotics agency also made significant breakthroughs in other parts of the country. In Adamawa State, operatives intercepted Bello Buba at an NDLEA checkpoint in Namtari, Yola South, with 38,270 Tramadol pills concealed in the spare tyre, boot, and door compartments of his Honda Civic, smuggled in from Benin Republic.
In Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives destroyed 53,250 kilograms of skunk cultivated on 21.3 hectares of farmland in Ilawe Ekiti and seized 70 bags (1,140 kg) of the same substance. Three suspects — Matthew Emmanuel (26), James Moses (27), and Israel Samuel (20) — were arrested during the operation. A related raid in Aponmu Forest Reserve, Akure (Ondo State) led to the destruction of 17,400 kilograms of cannabis on 6.96 hectares of farmland.
Other arrests include:
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Oyo State: Six suspects — including Aliyu Muhammed (50) and Babarinde Segun (32) — were caught with 869 kg of skunk in Igboora and Igangan.
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Ogun State: Joseph Andrew was nabbed with 88 kg of skunk in Ona–Imeko.
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Imo State: Festus Udoh (42) was arrested with 13,000 opioid pills on the Onitsha–Owerri road.
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Enugu State: 74.5 kg of skunk recovered from a suspect’s store in Umuogbo–Agu village.
In Lagos, NDLEA recovered 117 kilograms of skunk from a suspect, Ramoni Olukowi, in Mushin, while a joint operation with the Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies at Apapa Port led to the interception of 80,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup imported from India.
Babafemi added that NDLEA commands nationwide continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) outreach, engaging schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities.
Commending the operatives, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the officers across MMIA, Apapa, Lagos, Ekiti, Adamawa, Oyo, Enugu, Ogun, Ondo, and Imo for their “commitment and diligence,” urging them to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control through both enforcement and preventive education.
