The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered fresh attempts to smuggle illicit drugs through creative concealments, recovering cannabis and cocaine hidden in household items at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
Spokesperson of the agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, said operatives intercepted 23 parcels of Loud, a potent cannabis strain, weighing 11.3kg hidden inside microwaves from a Thai consignment, leading to the arrest of one suspect, Ezenwegbu Chike.
In another operation, cocaine weighing 400 grammes was found concealed in lipstick containers within a shipment of cosmetics headed to Guinea. This comes days after a similar seizure of 420 grammes of cocaine embedded in lipsticks meant for the UK. Ezeikwelume Afam, a trader at Lagos Trade Fair Complex, was arrested in connection with the latest find.
The agency also arrested a notorious drug kingpin, Okechukwu Izugha (alias Okey Omeogo), at his wife’s shop in Ijesha Market, Lagos. Izugha had been on the run since August 2024 after 9kg of cocaine linked to him was seized at a Lagos motor park. His wife, Maureen, had earlier been convicted and jailed for drug trafficking during the investigation.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives destroyed over 28,000kg of cannabis across three farms in Owan West LGA and seized 82kg of processed weed, despite coming under armed attack from suspected cartel members. No casualties were recorded, though one vehicle was damaged.
Other seizures included:
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Lagos: 700kg of Ghana Loud recovered from a beach with arrests made and drugs including methamphetamine and Molly also seized.
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Borno: Two arrests with large quantities of pentazocine, tramadol, and rohypnol.
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Gombe: Over 116,000 pills of tramadol and D5 recovered from five suspects.
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Kogi: 316.6kg of skunk intercepted along Okene-Lokoja expressway.
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Kaduna: 58.8kg of skunk seized from one suspect in Ikara LGA.
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Taraba: Three suspects arrested with over 577,000 opioid pills concealed in a tanker tyre.
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Kano: 48.1kg of skunk recovered from three suspects in Janguza area.
NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers across the affected states for their commitment and effectiveness in both supply and demand reduction efforts as part of the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.
