Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have conducted a series of coordinated, intelligence-led operations across various states in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, resulting in significant seizures of illicit drugs and multiple arrests. These interdiction efforts targeted drug trafficking networks, leading to the apprehension of diverse suspects, including a 93-year-old man and a 69-year-old medical doctor linked to cocaine and skunk trafficking.

In Abia State, NDLEA operatives arrested a nonagenarian, Pa Friday Ahukanna Chigbu, aged 93, at his residence in Umuagbaigba, Amavo Nkwogu village, Osisioma Local Government Area, on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. A search of his home led to the recovery of 7.7 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis. The suspect claimed he had been involved in the illicit drug business for over a year, having previously worked as a truck pusher and later as a painter and tiler. He also stated that he had been smoking skunk since 1959 before turning it into a business.

A major breakthrough was achieved in a cocaine trafficking network involving an Ivorian national and a medical doctor. Gohouri Michael, also known as Anunwa Onyinye Michael, was arrested on Monday, February 16, 2026, at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport during the outward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Milan, Italy, via Addis Ababa. Gohouri had arrived in Lagos from Milan on January 17, 2026, and had shuttled between Lagos and Enugu for three weeks before travelling to Kano, where he ingested the cocaine consignment in his hotel room. He was reportedly promised 5,000 Euros for delivering the drugs in Milan.

Further investigations into Gohouri Michael’s network led to the unmasking and arrest of the hidden figure behind the operation, Dr. Chudi Daniel Ofomata, a 69-year-old medical doctor. He was tracked and traced to his residence at Teachers’ Land estate, Magboro, Obafemi Owode LGA, Ogun State, where he was arrested on March 27, 2026, and subsequently flown to Kano on April 7, 2026. Recovered from him at the point of arrest were 63 grams of promazepam and 7 ampoules of promethazine injection.

In Niger State, NDLEA operatives on Thursday, April 9, arrested a couple, Abdullahi Umar, 32, and his wife Adama Umar, 25, during a search of their home in Takuti village, Lapai LGA. The search led to the recovery of 118 kilograms of skunk from their kitchen, highlighting their involvement in drug distribution.

Lagos State operations included two significant interdictions. Along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, operatives intercepted a luxury bus heading to Port Harcourt, recovering 15 kilograms of Scottish Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, concealed in one of the bus compartments. Two suspects, Kingsley Nsofor and Opara Ifeanyi, were promptly arrested. In a separate operation in Mushin, NDLEA operatives intercepted a truck conveying goods to Onitsha, seizing 26,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup and arresting two suspects, Adesunloye Dada and Chibuzor Chime.

In Borno State, operatives intercepted a trailer loaded with vehicle spare parts coming from Nnewi, Anambra State, along the Damaturu–Maiduguri Road. The operation yielded significant quantities of controlled substances, including 42,290 tablets of Rohypnol, 82,700 milliliters of codeine syrup, and 10,000 milliliters of Pentazocine injection. The owner of the consignment, Eleje Ibeabuchi, 43, was subsequently arrested in a follow-up operation.

Ogun State witnessed another raid on Tuesday, April 7, at Sango Under Bridge, Sango Ota, where NDLEA operatives arrested three suspects: Azeez Sanni, Olayinka Oke, and Adekunle Adeyemi, with 34 kilograms of skunk in their possession.

In Imo State, on Saturday, April 11, operatives intercepted a female suspect, Ayoka Akinwale, 26, along the Onitsha–Owerri Road, Owerri, recovering 56.2 kilograms of skunk from her.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) saw a raid on the Tora Bora drug joint in Abuja, leading to the arrest of eight suspects: Abubakar Muhammad, Ali Isiaka, Obed Moses, Ibrahim Musa, Attahiru Audu, Kabiru Buhari, Oloruntoba Samuel, and Ellah Gyandi. A combined total of 11.516 kilograms of skunk were seized from them.

Finally, in Edo State, acting on actionable intelligence on Saturday, April 11, NDLEA operatives intercepted two long trucks, marked LUY 172 XC and LUY 281 XC, along Warrake Road, Auchi. These trucks were found to be transporting bags of processed skunk concealed among cartons of beer, underscoring the agency's continuous efforts to disrupt drug supply chains across the country.