The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recently intensified its nationwide operations, leading to a series of significant drug busts and arrests across five states, including a major cocaine seizure at a Lagos port and the apprehension of a notorious female drug kingpin known as 'Mama Kerosine'. These concerted efforts underscore the agency's commitment to combating illicit drug trafficking and supply networks across Nigeria.

One of the most notable operations occurred on Friday, January 2, 2026, when NDLEA operatives successfully intercepted 31.5 kilograms of cocaine aboard the merchant vessel MV Aruna Hulya at the GDNL Terminal, Apapa Port, Lagos. Following this discovery in hatch 3 of the ship, which originated from the Marshall Islands, the agency detained all 22 Indian crew members. Among those taken into custody was the Master of the Vessel, Sharma Shashi Bhushan, along with 21 other crew members including Bharati Manoj Kumar, Bhalerao Nilesh Mukund, Nadar Anthony Macson David, Kolusu Srinivasa Rao, Sagar Gaurav, Francis Anto Beemas Nester, Jagdeep Singh, Jai Parkash, Prabhukhan Singh, Nevage Sandesh Suresh, Pandey Prashant, Nittu Anand, Akash Babu, Dasari Raju, Reddy Nandika Sanjeeba, Rana Nivesh, Melethil Insaf Rahman, Barla Chantanya Krishna, Ghosh Arijit, Mondal Raihan, and Gangwar Shiv Om.

In a related development on land, the NDLEA also targeted major illicit drug distributors. In Oyo State, on December 29, 2025, operatives arrested a 65-year-old wanted female drug kingpin, Fatima Ilori, popularly known as "Mama Kerosine." She was identified as a primary illicit drug distributor in Ibadan and was apprehended following the seizure of 238.4 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, directly linked to her operations. Another female suspect, Olusanya Abosede, 35, was arrested alongside her at the Onireke/Elekuro area of Ibadan, further dismantling a critical part of the drug supply chain.

The agency's vigilance extended to courier services, where various quantities of hard drugs intended for international destinations were intercepted. At a courier company in Lagos, operatives seized Ketamine, Ecstasy, and Tramadol pills on December 24 and 29, 2025. These illicit substances were cleverly concealed within sachets of coffee mix and book parcels, with their final destinations identified as Zambia and the United Kingdom, highlighting the sophisticated methods employed by drug traffickers.

Furthermore, NDLEA operations disrupted the supply chain of illicit drugs to insurgents in Borno State. On Friday, January 2, 2026, Isa Mohammed, 26, was arrested along the Maiduguri-Gamboru Ngala road after being intercepted with 9,150 ampoules of Tramadol injection. The same day, Musa Samaila, 30, was nabbed at Biu Market with a large consignment of 34,000 capsules of Tramadol. These seizures are crucial in cutting off funding and influence for insurgent groups operating in the region.

Additional significant seizures were recorded across other states. In Lagos, on New Year's Day, Thursday, January 1, operatives recovered 400 kilograms of skunk along with a van in the Mobolaji Johnson area. In Jigawa State, Bilya Ibrahim, 39, was arrested on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, at a motor park in Hadejia. He was attempting to transport 260 compressed blocks of skunk, weighing 140.8 kilograms, which were allegedly sourced from Taraba State and destined for Nguru, Yobe State. Kwara State also saw substantial busts; on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, NDLEA officers recovered 238.5 kilograms of skunk from a suspect's residence in the Asadam area of Ilorin, while 32,000 pills of Tramadol and Diazepam were seized from Abubakar Rabiu, 32, at Bode Saadu, Moro LGA, on Wednesday, December 31, 2025. These coordinated efforts demonstrate the NDLEA's broad reach and effectiveness in tackling drug-related crimes nationwide.