The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced a series of successful operations across Nigeria, leading to the dismantling of a major drug trafficking syndicate and significant seizures of illicit substances. A key breakthrough involved a cartel that exploited Hajj pilgrims to smuggle cocaine into Saudi Arabia, with principal members arrested in Kano.

The investigation into the Hajj syndicate began with the interception of two pilgrims, Ibrahim Umar Mustapha and Muhammad Siraj Shifado, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on Monday, 26th May 2025. The pilgrims were attempting to board an Ethiopian Airline flight ET 940 to Jeddah. NDLEA operatives, acting on credible intelligence, subjected them to body scans which confirmed they had ingested illicit substances. Both individuals were placed under excretion observation and subsequently expelled 45 wraps of cocaine each, totaling 90 pellets with a combined weight of 1.04kg.

Following this, investigators unraveled the network sponsoring these couriers, identifying them as leaders of a notorious drug trafficking group specializing in smuggling drugs to Saudi Arabia. In a swift follow-up operation on Tuesday, 27th May and Wednesday, 28th May 2025, in Kano, NDLEA operatives arrested three alleged kingpins of the syndicate: Abubakar Muhammad, Abdulhakeem Muhammed Tijjani, and Muhammad Aji Shugaba.

In a separate incident at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on Wednesday, 28th May 2025, NDLEA operatives intercepted Chinedu Leonard Okigbo, a 60-year-old businessman. Okigbo was apprehended during the outward clearance of Qatar Airways flight QR1432 to Iran. A body scan confirmed he had ingested illicit substances, and he later excreted 65 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.41kg.

Further major seizures occurred at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State, between Wednesday, 28th May and Friday, 30th May 2025. A joint examination of seven watch-listed containers by NDLEA officers, Customs Service personnel, and other security agencies led to the recovery of 825,200 bottles of codeine-based syrup and Trodol, with a street value estimated at N5,776,400,000. Additionally, 5,100,000 pills of opioids, primarily tapentadol 225mg, valued at N3,570,000,000, were seized. The total street value of the opioids recovered in this operation amounted to N9,346,400,000.

NDLEA's vigilance also extended to combating counterfeit currency. On Friday, 30th May 2025, operatives on patrol along the Kano-Maiduguri road intercepted Abubakar Hussein, 42, and Sahabi Adamu, 53, with $900,000 in cash suspected to be counterfeit. The suspects and the seized currency were to be transferred to the appropriate agency for further investigation.

In Adamawa State, on Tuesday, 27th May 2025, NDLEA operatives recovered 390 compressed blocks of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis, weighing 275.300kg. The drugs were found in a parked Toyota Sienna vehicle with registration number YLA-408GG along the Ngurore-Yola road.

The crackdown on drug dealers continued in Kwara State, where on Saturday, 31st May 2025, NDLEA operatives arrested Alhaja Mutiat Abdul-Fatai, described as a notorious female drug dealer, in the Oja Oba area of Ilorin. Various quantities of opioids, including tramadol, flunitrazepam, and codeine-based syrup, were seized from her.

These recent successes build upon the NDLEA's ongoing efforts, which also include earlier operations such as the arrest of two British nationals who attempted to smuggle 92 bags of loud, a potent cannabis strain weighing 51.10kg, into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers and men of the MAKIA, PHPC, Kano, Kwara, and Adamawa Commands for the arrests and seizures of the past week. He also praised their counterparts across all commands for maintaining a fair balance between drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.