The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced significant strides in its fight against illicit drug trafficking, intercepting multiple consignments of hard drugs disguised in various forms and destined for international and domestic markets. These comprehensive operations, spanning the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, a courier company, and several states across Nigeria, resulted in numerous arrests and substantial seizures, as disclosed by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, in a statement on Sunday, October 19, 2025.

Among the major international interceptions, operatives at MMIA and a courier company in Lagos thwarted attempts to export illicit substances to the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Two primary suspects linked to these attempts have been taken into custody. One of them, Boladale Riliwan, a cargo agent, was arrested on October 7, 2025, after NDLEA officers discovered 15 parcels of skunk, a strain of cannabis, cleverly concealed within 10 giant rechargeable electrical bulbs. These were presented in a carton for airfreight to the DRC at the export shed of the Lagos airport.

Another notable arrest occurred on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja. Olawale Oyebola Hakeemot, a 48-year-old UK-based Public Health Assistant, was apprehended while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Manchester, United Kingdom. Her luggage contained 2,300 pills of tramadol 225mg, ingeniously hidden inside frozen snails. Furthermore, NDLEA officers foiled an attempt by another syndicate to export 810 pills of bromazepam to the United States. These pills were found concealed within female clothes at a courier company in Lagos on Thursday, October 16, 2025.

Domestically, the agency carried out extensive operations across multiple states, leading to significant seizures and arrests. In Adamawa State, Bello Buba was intercepted at an NDLEA checkpoint in Namtari, Yola South Local Government Area, on Sunday, October 12, 2025. He was found with 38,270 pills of tramadol concealed in the spare tyre, boot, and door compartments of his Honda Civic car, which he had driven all the way from Benin Republic to smuggle the consignment into Nigeria.

Large-scale destruction of cannabis farms also marked the agency's efforts. In Ilawe Ekiti, Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives destroyed not less than 53,250 kilograms of skunk across 21.3 hectares of cannabis farm and recovered 70 bags of the same psychoactive substance, weighing 1,140 kilograms, during an operation between Sunday, October 12, and Monday, October 13, 2025. Suspects arrested in connection with this operation include Matthew Emmanuel (26), James Moses (27), and Israel Samuel (20). This followed another major operation at Aponmu forest reserve, Akure, Ondo State, on Sunday, October 12, 2025, where 17,400 kilograms of skunk were destroyed on 6.96 hectares of plantation.

Further interdictions occurred in other states. In Oyo State, multiple arrests were made on Thursday, October 16, 2025: Aliyu Muhammed (50), Babarinde Segun (32), Ogunbiyi Sanjo (30), and Ajani Oluro (30) were nabbed with 596 kilograms of skunk at Apata-Ako, Igboora. Separately, Jacob Afolabi (30) and Salako Oluwatobi (25) were arrested with 273 kilograms of the same substance at Odo-Oyan, Igangan. In Ogun State, Joseph Andrew was arrested with 88 kilograms of skunk on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at Ona – Imeko. Along the Onitsha-Owerri road in Imo State, Festus Udoh (42) was apprehended with 13,000 pills of opioids. In Enugu State, a total of 74.5 kilograms of skunk was recovered from the store of Joseph Chukwujamaa at Umuogbo – Agu village on Saturday, October 18, 2025.

Lagos State also saw significant operations. No fewer than 11 bags of skunk, weighing 117 kilograms, were recovered from the base of Ramoni Olukowi in the Mushin area on Saturday, October 18, 2025. A major interception at the Apapa port on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, involved a total of 80,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup, originating from India. This consignment was intercepted during a joint examination with men of the Customs Service and other security agencies, following an earlier watch-listing by the NDLEA.

Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Apapa, Lagos, Ekiti, Adamawa, Oyo, Enugu, Ogun, Ondo, and Imo Commands for their arrests and seizures. He urged them and their colleagues nationwide not to relent in their ongoing balanced approach to the agency's drug control efforts. This balanced approach includes continuous enforcement and the 'War Against Drug Abuse' (WADA) sensitisation programmes conducted in schools, workplaces, and communities across the country, emphasizing the NDLEA's commitment to both prevention and control.