The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered a new Thailand-Nigeria trafficking route following the seizure of 1.49 tonnes of “Loud”, a potent strain of cannabis, worth more than N4.4 billion at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos.
The agency said the seizures represent its first recorded interception of illicit drugs trafficked into Nigeria from Thailand through the maritime corridor, raising concerns over the growing sophistication of international drug syndicates using the country as a destination and transit point.
The breakthrough was recorded during nationwide operations conducted between August 15 and 22, which also led to the destruction of 10 tonnes of cannabis, the interception of cocaine concealed in edible cassava flour, popularly known as fufu, and the arrest of a 101-year-old woman allegedly involved in retail cannabis sales.
At the Apapa Port, NDLEA operatives, working with the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders, discovered 1,090.5 kilogrammes of Thai Loud concealed in a container declared to contain dry fish, rice, vehicle spare parts, turmeric soap and inverter batteries.
The consignment, examined on Friday, August 21, contained 54 cartons comprising 2,181 sachets of 500 grammes each, according to NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi.
At the Lekki Deep Sea Port, another container under surveillance was jointly examined on Wednesday. Four of seven pallets wrapped in black nylon were found to contain 400 kilogrammes of Thai Loud packed in 96 cartons and 400 parcels.
The remaining three pallets contained 798 rims of A4 paper, which investigators said were used to conceal the illicit consignment.
Both containers had been loaded at the Port of Laem Chabang in Thailand, exposing what the NDLEA described as a new maritime trafficking route being exploited by international drug syndicates.
In Ogun State, NDLEA operatives arrested a 101-year-old great-grandmother, Esther Ogunmabo, at Ilisan on August 15 with 90 grammes of skunk packaged in retail sachets.
The elderly woman reportedly told investigators that she resorted to selling cannabis after her provisions shop was destroyed by fire. She also alleged that one of her daughters, based in Lagos, arranged for supplies to be delivered to her every four days for retail distribution.
Following the arrest, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), directed that Ogunmabo be granted bail and placed on counselling because of her advanced age. Her daughter was, however, arrested in connection with the alleged drug trade.
In Akwa Ibom, operatives intercepted a wooden boat on the high seas following intelligence that illicit drugs were being transported to fishing settlements in Cameroon.
Three suspects—Eekpo, 29; Otobong Etukudoh, 33; and Kingsley John, 27—were arrested aboard the vessel. A total of 42.622 kilogrammes of illicit drugs was recovered, including skunk and cocaine.
Eekpo was found with 1.120 kilogrammes of skunk, while Etukudoh had 42.06 kilogrammes. John was arrested with 435 grammes of skunk and 20 grammes of cocaine concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava fufu.
In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives destroyed 10,000 kilogrammes of skunk cultivated across four hectares of cannabis farmland in Ijare Forest, Ifedore Local Government Area. The operation followed the arrest of three suspected cultivators on August 16.
Operatives also recovered 210 kilogrammes of skunk and a Toyota Camry at Ita-Ogbolu, Akure North Local Government Area. The vehicle, with registration number AGL 223 JH, allegedly belongs to Sylvester Anthony, who remains at large.
In the Federal Capital Territory, three waybill packages containing 24,410 tramadol capsules were intercepted inside a Hummer bus travelling from Enugu to Zuba. A follow-up operation in Niger State led to the arrest of the alleged owner of the consignment, 28-year-old Sunday Eze, in Kontagora. He was subsequently transferred to Abuja.
Other operations yielded 1.325 kilogrammes of methamphetamine and cannabis from a Toyota Starlet intercepted along the Ogbomosho-Ilorin Expressway in Kwara State, leading to the arrest of 22-year-old Muhammadu Usman.
In Oyo State, NDLEA operatives arrested 65-year-old Adebayo Kaosarat at Akobo-Ojuirin, Ibadan, with 1.795 kilogrammes of Scottish Loud, 1.66 kilogrammes of tramadol, 600 grammes of codeine syrup, 125 grammes of diazepam and 50 grammes of flunitrazepam.
In Kano, 73.3 kilogrammes of skunk were recovered from 31-year-old Chibuzor Madueke during a raid along Hadeija Road.
At Seme, Lagos, three members of the same family—Nasiru Tijjani, 52; Moshood Tijjani, 27; and Salami Tijjani, 27—were arrested at Ashipa near the border with 48 kilogrammes of skunk.
In Abia State, operatives recovered 14.4 kilogrammes of Loud, 2.3 kilogrammes of Colorado, 386 grammes of tramadol and 134 grammes of Rohypnol from the residence of 36-year-old Ikechukwu Anthony Iwuno at Umuobia Olokoro, Umuahia South Local Government Area.
Beyond enforcement operations, NDLEA Commands and formations nationwide continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, religious institutions, workplaces and communities.
The agency conducted awareness programmes in Kano, Oyo, Kebbi, Taraba and Edo states, while the Idiroko Special Area Command in Ogun State undertook a WADA advocacy visit to the Chairman of Ipokia Local Government Area, Johnson Avoseh.
Marwa commended officers and men of the Ogun, Apapa, Lekki, Seme, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Oyo, Kwara, Kano, Abia and FCT Commands for the operations.
He urged NDLEA personnel nationwide to sustain the agency’s balanced drug-control strategy, combining enforcement with prevention, public enlightenment, counselling and community engagement.
