Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted drug consignments worth over ₦6.5 billion at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne and the Apapa Seaport, Lagos.
In a statement on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi revealed that the seizures followed intelligence-led operations targeting new smuggling routes used by drug cartels. The recovered drugs included over six million opioid pillsspecifically Tamol 225mg, Tapentadol 225mg, and Carisoprodol 225mg and 332,000 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup.
At the Port Harcourt ports, six million pills and 162,000 bottles of codeine syrup were uncovered in two containers during a joint inspection on May 19 and 20. Similarly, at the Apapa port, 170,000 bottles of codeine syrup were recovered on May 22 in a watch-listed container.
In a related operation, the NDLEA arrested two British nationals and their Nigerian accomplices for attempting to smuggle 51.10kg of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Those arrested include Mhizha Jordan Alexander Tatendra, Ayedipe Andrew Adejuwon, Shonowo Oluwaseun Imole, and Ofuoma Omokaro Ayobami. Alexander was intercepted upon arrival from Doha on May 15, and operatives monitored him to the airport car park where the others were waiting in an SUV. The NDLEA swooped in and made the arrest as they tried to leave with the drugs.
Further investigations led to a raid on their Lekki apartment, where officers recovered ₦3.8 million cash, 17,200 South African Rand, an Apple laptop, an iPhone 14 Pro Max, and four nitrous oxide canisters. Alexander confessed he was recruited during a vacation and promised £1,300 for the delivery. Ayedipe admitted arriving from South Africa via Ghana a day before the bust.
In other operations across the country:
- Cross River State: NDLEA destroyed 75,000kg of skunk on 30 hectares of cannabis farms in Esuk-Odot village, recovering an additional 200kg on May 22.
- Edo State: 1,957.5kg of skunk was destroyed in the Ohosu and Okhuse forests on May 23 and 24.
- Nasarawa State: Two suspects were arrested in Keffi with 4,000kg of skunk hidden under unprocessed wood, while another was caught in Karu with 154.5kg on May 21.
- Kaduna State: On May 21, a 22-year-old was caught with 57,750 pills of tramadol and diazepam along the Kaduna–Zaria expressway.
- Bauchi State: A suspect was found with 45kg of skunk on the Bauchi-Misau road.
- Yobe State: Along the Potiskum–Damaturu road, NDLEA seized 2kg of Colorado cannabis bound for Chad.
- Niger State: Officers intercepted 97kg of compressed cannabis on the Mokwa-Jebba road on May 22.
- Lagos State: Raids in Lekki led to the arrest of Jonathan Isa with various drugs, and in Ibeju-Lekki, Olamilekan Idowu was arrested with 48kg of skunk.
The NDLEA said the nationwide crackdown is part of ongoing efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and prevent the infiltration of dangerous substances into Nigerian communities.
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