The high stakes intelligence-led coordinated operations were conducted on Friday 17th April 2026 at 98 Olukayode Awofisayo Street, Park View Estate, Ago Palace, Okota where a large warehouse was uncovered and two others at 5 Charles Ndumetu Street, Park View Estate, Ago Palace, Okota, Lagos State. Recovered from the three warehouses were 19,094 cartons containing 1,909,400 bottles of codeine syrup and 2,360,000 pills of high-potency tramadol 225mg pills in another 34 cartons.

Reacting to the development, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) said the successful operations have dealt a staggering blow to the heart of the pharmaceutical drug black market, leading to the dismantling of a major drug syndicate in the country.

Marwa expressed his profound pride in the operatives involved, describing the seizure as a monumental victory in the ongoing fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.

According to him, “The scale of this recovery, nearly 4.3 million units of lethal substances, is a testament to the fact that our officers are staying several steps ahead of these merchants of death. To find such volumes hidden within residential estates like Park View and busy hubs like Okota shows the desperation of these cartels, but it also highlights the peerless intelligence capabilities of our team.”

The NDLEA boss reiterated that there is no safe haven for drug traffickers in Nigeria, adding that whether they hide their illicit goods in elite mansions or suburban warehouses, the Agency’s reach is long and its resolve is firm.

“Let this be a clear signal to those who think they can profit from the destruction of our children’s futures: we will find you, we will dismantle your networks, and we will bring the full weight of the law upon you”, he warned.

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The­ Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has declared that Nigeria is no longer a permissive ground for international drug cartels given the strong message that has been sent out by the unprecedented number of arrests, seizures and convictions of drug traffickers recorded by the current leadership of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the past five years.

The UNODC Country Representative in Nigeria, Mr. Cheikh Ousmane Toure stated this in Abuja on Monday 27th April during a brief ceremony to hand over to NDLEA audiovisual interview rooms equipped with modern technology provided by UNODC and funded by the United States International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (US-INL).

According to him, “Transnational drug trafficking remains one of the most destabilizing forces of our time; it fuels corruption, funds violence, destroys communities, and exploits the most vulnerable. Nigeria, at a critical sub-regional crossroads, has been both a target and a transit hub for criminal networks stretching from Latin America to Asia and across Africa.
“Under the strong and visionary leadership of Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), NDLEA has demonstrated remarkable courage and professionalism in confronting these networks. Since his appointment in 2021, the agency has significantly strengthened enforcement, increased major seizures, and expanded prevention and treatment initiatives. The result has been clear: it has sent very strong messages to transnational criminal organizations because Nigeria is no longer a permissive environment.”
He expressed appreciation to the US government for funding the project. “To our partners and the United States, your investment goes far beyond bricks, cables, and cameras—it is an investment in the idea that a stronger, fairer, and more transparent Nigeria is a safer Nigeria. As we formally hand over these upgraded interview rooms, we are reaffirming our shared conviction that the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime must be waged within the bounds of law, with full respect for human rights, and with unwavering transparency”, he added. He urged that the facility be replicated in all commands and formations of the Agency across the country.

In his remarks at the ceremony, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) expressed gratitude to the US-INL and UNODC “for believing in our mission and for walking this path with us”, while assuring them and the Nigerian public that the Agency is “ready for the work ahead.”
Speaking on the significance of the donated facilities, Marwa said “we are not just commissioning rooms; we are upgrading the integrity of our investigative process. The NDLEA is currently at an advanced stage of digital transformation, and the provision of these state-of-the-art facilities brings us into the future of law enforcement. This is where technology meets the rule of law.
“The handover of these modern interview and interrogation rooms could not have come at a more pivotal time. As the NDLEA accelerates toward the full digitalization of our operational processes, this facility ensures we remain in lockstep with our international partners. More importantly, it reinforces our commitment to transparency, our extant laws, and global best practices in criminal justice.
“We live in an interconnected world where progress is a shared journey. Today, that journey takes a significant leap forward. This equipment is far more than mere technology; it is a symbol of trust. It reflects your belief in our mission and our people. For the Agency, this means enhanced capacity, higher investigative standards, and the ability to deliver justice more effectively.
“We are committed to ensuring that this contribution translates into measurable results and a lasting impact on our counter-narcotics efforts. We look forward to sharing the milestones we will undoubtedly achieve through this partnership.
“For our officers, this means better tools for the job. For the public, it means a more transparent and professional Agency. We promise not just to use this equipment, but to master it—ensuring every interrogation is conducted with the highest standards of professionalism and efficiency.”
The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Director of US-INL, Dr. Douglas Grane, top officials of UNODC and top management staff of NDLEA, among others.

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Barely five years after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) recorded the first seizure of the deadly terror drug, Captagon, in Africa at the Apapa seaport in Lagos, operatives of the Agency have again intercepted a consignment of the amphetamine substance in Kwara state.

Captagon, a tiny, highly addictive pill, widely available across the Middle East, produces a euphoric intensity in users, allowing them to stay awake for days, making them fearless, and predisposes them to reckless action that puts the lives of people around them in jeopardy.

Its production and sale are controlled by militias and large criminal groups linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) as a means of generating funds for weapons and combatants, and for use as a stimulant to keep them fighting.

The latest seizure of captagon, which street value costs as much as $25 a pill, was made on Tuesday 21st April 2026 when NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bode Saadu road, Kwara state intercepted a trailer conveying passengers. A search conducted on one of the passengers, 33-year-old Nasiru Mu’azu led to the recovery of 10 packs of captagon consisting of 10,000 pills and nine packets of Tapentadol 250mg.

In another interdiction operation at the Bode Saadu patrol point, NDLEA officers on Friday 24th April intercepted a trailer marked RMY-70XA. A search of the truck led to the recovery of 155,900 capsules of tramadol; 6,000 ampuoles of tramadol injection; 3,000 tablets of Co- Codamol and 9,000 tablets of Bromazepam, concealed in a false compartment constructed under the trailer. A 24-year-old suspect Aminu Isah has been taken into custody in connection with the seizure.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Oyo state on Tuesday 21st April intercepted a commercial bus with registration number MNA 963 ZY, at Akinyele along Ibadan/Oyo expressway, while en route Sokoto. A 33-year-old passenger Eze Prince Emeka was brought down from the vehicle and taken for body scan, which result confirmed ingestion of illicit drug.

The suspect who claims to be a businessman in Sokoto was subsequently placed under close excretion observation during which he excreted a total of forty-five (45) pellets of cocaine with a total weight of 1.043 kilograms in three excretions.

The decision to travel by road to Sokoto with the illicit drug in his stomach was to evade detection by NDLEA at the airport while further investigation reveals that upon arrival in Sokoto, the suspect was to excrete the pellets, rest for a few days, and subsequently re-ingest the substances to continue the journey through the trans-Saharan routes, with Algeria as a transit point and possible final destination in Europe.

In Edo state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Benin/Lagos expressway on Saturday 25th April intercepted a truck marked NLC 146 FC conveying 1, 196,000 pills of pharmaceutical opioids, among others. Two suspects: Osagie Igbinibo, 43, and Omijie Malik, 44, were apprehended in connection with the seizure of the consignments heading to Onitsha, Anambra state.

While a suspect Rasheed Ibuowo, 40, was arrested at Mile 2 expressway in Lagos on Saturday 25th April conveying 810 kilograms of Arizona, a strain of cannabis, another suspect Muktar Bello, 35, was nabbed by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 22nd April at Misau road, Azare/Katagun LGA, Bauchi state with 288 blocks of skunk weighing 154.5kg.

In Ekiti state, a total of 466.8 kilograms of skunk were recovered from the house of a suspect Layit John Matthew, 56, at Ilaro street, Isinbode-Ekiti, from where he planned to transport them to Yola, Adamawa state while 20,000 kilograms of the same psychoactive substance were destroyed on eight hectares of farmland in Uyanga community, Akamkpa LGA, Cross River state on Saturday 25th April when NDLEA officers supported by soldiers raided the community and recovered 170kg of processed cannabis.

Three Hundred and Ninety-Four (394) pieces of IED components were seized from a suspect Mohammed Aliyu, 26, by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kontagora/Zuru road, Niger state on Wednesday 22nd April. He was conveying the IED materials in a red Toyota car with registration number KNT 617 AE to Shadadi, Mariga LGA. The suspect and exhibit are to be transferred to the relevant security Agency for further investigation.

With the same zeal, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.

These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Mallam Salisu Islamic School, Paiko, Niger state; Madarasatul Abdulrahman Bin Auf Litahafizul Quran, Durusul Islamiyah Badawa, Nasarawa LGA, Kano; Sani Zango Daura Model Primary School, Zango, Katsina; and members of community development associations, Badagry LGA Lagos while the Zonal Commander, Zone 4 Command of NDLEA, ACGN Bridget Viashiama led other senior officers of the Zone on a WADA advocacy visit to Nasarawa state governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, among others.

While commending the officers and men of Kwara, Oyo, Edo, Cross River, Bauchi, Ekiti, Niger and Lagos Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities while he charged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the current tempo.

He commended the tactical precision of NDLEA operatives following the interception of 10,000 pills of Captagon in Kwara State, noting that the bust is a major blow to drug syndicates attempting to revive a pipeline that has been largely dormant since the landmark seizure at the Apapa Seaport in Lagos five years ago.

Marwa described the seizure as a wake-up call, noting that Captagon, a potent amphetamine often linked to insurgent groups for its ability to inhibit fear and fatigue, remains a target for traffickers looking to fuel insecurity.

“We are not just seizing pills; we are disrupting the fuel that powers violence in our communities. Our operatives remain on high alert across all frontiers to ensure this illicit trade finds no foothold”, he stated.

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The containers, which were intercepted at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State, on 4th September; 14th August; 13th August; 29th July; 13th June; 30th May; 29th May; 28th May; 20th May; 19th May; 14th May and 29th April, all in 2025, contain a staggering haul of Nineteen Million Six Hundred Thousand (19,600,000) pills of Tramadol, Tafrodol, Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, as well as Two Million Four Hundred and Ninety Six Thousand Four Hundred (2,496,400) bottles of Codeine Syrup.

The combined street value of the seizures is estimated at Thirty-Three Billion, Six Hundred and Ninety-One Million, Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N33,691,200,000).

The forfeiture order was issued by Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, following a motion exparte filed by the NDLEA on 10th February 2026 in suit number FHC/PH/MISC/25/2026.

Ruling on the application, Justice Adamu said “An order is hereby made forfeiting in the interim to the Federal Government of Nigeria seventeen (17) shipping containers containing a total, of three hundred and sixty-five thousand, six hundred and seventy-five (365,657kg) of various types of psychotropic substances, as well as other items as stated in the schedule to this application, illegally imported into Nigeria through the Onne Sea Port, Onne, Eleme, Rivers State by unknown persons.”

He further ruled that “⁠An order is hereby made vesting custody and possession of the said containers and their respective contents to the Applicant/Complainant untiI the final determination of this Suit.”

Reacting to the court’s order, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) described the forfeiture as a death knell for the financial nerves of the criminal syndicates involved.

“This is not just a seizure, it is a total dispossession of the resources the drug cartels intended to use in destroying the lives of our youths and funding further criminality. By stripping the criminal syndicates of assets worth over N33.6 billion, we have struck at the heart of their operations. This sends a clear message: the Nigerian state will not allow the proceeds of death to circulate to fund terrorism and other forms of criminality in our country.”

While commending the Nigerian Judiciary for its steadfast support and timely intervention in granting the interim forfeiture, Marwa noted that the partnership between the temple of justice and the agency is critical to winning the war against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.

He further lauded the officers, men and women of NDLEA, particularly those attached to the Onne Port Command, for their vigilance, professional integrity, and eagle-eyed scrutiny that led to the discovery of the concealed drugs.

The NDLEA Chairman also acknowledged the vital role played by sister security agencies including the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other port stakeholders whose cooperation ensured a seamless interdiction process.

He also commended international partners for their continued intelligence sharing and technical support which remains a cornerstone of the agency’s success, adding that the Agency remains resolute in its mission to dismantle drug networks across the country.

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The cocaine consignment with a gross weight of 2.80 kilograms was intercepted on Thursday 9th April 2026 by NDLEA operatives attached to the export shed of the Lagos airport while two cargo agents involved in the export bid: Ama Obinna Ufeim, 33, and Ogabi Monday Akorede, 39, were swiftly arrested. Further investigation revealed a 52-year-old freight and forwarding agent Agoro Tajudeen Moninuola as the sender of the consignment and he was arrested in a follow-up operation.
In a similar operation, NDLEA officers at the import shed of the Lagos airport on Wednesday 8th April intercepted a consignment of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, with a gross weight of 2.90 kilograms and concealed in snack food packs, which arrived from the United States of America aboard a Delta Airlines flight.
Two cargo clearing agents: Animashaun Moshood Adetunji and Mercy Gabriel Oluwasegun, were initially arrested in connection with the seizure before the consignee, Saheed Adeshina Adegoke, a 29-year-old fashion designer, was nabbed in a follow-up operation at 3 Oba Ogunji road, Ogba, Lagos, on Monday 13th April.
In Kaduna, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kaduna-Zaria highway by Gwargwaje Zaria on Monday 13th April intercepted a trailer conveying cement heading to Hadeja in Jigawa state. A search of the truck led to the recovery of 760 blocks and 33 jumbo bags of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 847 kilograms. The truck driver Umar Garba Haruna, 33, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
A 53-year-old female suspect, Alice Sunday Udoh, was arrested on Thursday 16th April when NDLEA officers supported by soldiers raided a forest in Uwet community, Akamkpa LGA, Cross River state, where 15,000 kilograms of skunk on six hectares of farmland were destroyed and 119kg of same substance recovered.
Another cannabis farm was raided on Tuesday 14th April at Saboro camp, Ovia North East LGA, Edo state where NDLEA operatives destroyed 2,281.43kg of same psychoactive substance, while three suspects: Nweke Smart, 27; Christopher Egbe, 62; and Monday Ayan, 45, were arrested, with the duo of Christopher and Monday caught with 38.5kg cannabis and its seeds. Two suspects: Sunday Odili, 49, and Ijenebe Joshua, 39, were nabbed with 87.838kg skunk and seeds at Powerline area of Okwo, Delta state on Friday 17th April.
In Lagos, two suspects: Chinedu Ogbekene and Zindozin Aloukou Bienvenu were arrested on Wednesday 15th April at Mile 2, Lagos/Badagry expressway while conveying 11,900 capsules of tramadol and 400 ampoules of phenobarbital injection in a truck to Ghana. Same day, NDLEA operatives raided a two-storey building at Petti, Lagos Island, where a total of 95.8kg skunk was recovered.
With the same zeal, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Alfurgan Islamic School, Paiko, Niger state;
Edgerly Memorial Girls Secondary School, Calabar, Cross River; Heritage Model School, Ankpa, Kogi; Government Day Junior and Senior Secondary School, Kankia, Katsina; Government Senior Secondary School, Rano, Kano, and De Ambassador Secondary School, Epe, Lagos state, among others.
While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Kaduna, and Lagos Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities while he charged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the current tempo.

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No fewer than 974 offenders have been convicted and sentenced to various jail terms including 11 drug kingpins who bagged 254 years imprisonment in the first quarter of 2026 as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) ramped up the arrest, prosecution and forfeiture of the assets of drug traffickers and their collaborators across the country.

Among the 974 drug traffickers convicted between January and March, 899 of them are male and 75 females, while a further breakdown of the conviction figure shows that 265 were secured in January, 316 in February and 393 in March.

Top on the list of the 11 drug kingpins who were successfully prosecuted and convicted within the period include a notorious Italy-based 42-year-old businessman, Adegbite Solomon (a.k.a Obama) who was arraigned on 15-count charge before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court Lagos in suit number: FHC/L/851C/2025. Delivering his ruling on the matter on 18th March, Justice Kakaki convicted the repeat offender on all 15 counts and sentenced him to a total of 130 years in prison.

Specifically, Justice Kakaki sentenced Adegbite to 15 years’ imprisonment on count 1; 15 years on count 2; 15 years on count 3; 15 years on count 4; 15 years on count 5; 15 years on count 6; 10 years on count 7; four years on count 8; four years on count 9; four years on count 10; four years on count 11; four years on count 12; and 10 years on count 15. While the prison sentence is to run concurrently, the trial judge also ordered the revocation of the convict’s pharmacy license and the forfeiture of two branches of his pharmacy store as well as the forfeiture of funds in his three bank accounts to the Federal Government, among others.

Another top drug kingpin sentenced to long years in prison in the first quarter of the year is 32-year-old Ridwan Animashaun who was arraigned by NDLEA before Justice Nkenoye Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, Oyo state in charge number: FHC/IB/97C/2025. In her judgment delivered on 26th February 2026, Justice Maha convicted and sentenced Animashaun to 25 calendar years for drug trafficking.

The convict was first convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment for a similar offence on 15th July 2022 by Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court following his arrest by NDLEA along Lagos/Ibadan expressway on 27th March 2022.

Two other convicts who bagged long years imprisonment are: Rauf Asogba, 28, and Seun Olaniyi, 24, who were convicted and sentenced to 17 years in jail each by Justice Abiodun Jordan Adeyemi of the Federal High Court Abeokuta, Ogun state on 28th January 2026 after NDLEA arrested and charged them to court for trafficking 1,779 kilograms of skunk in suit number: FHC/AB/160C/2025.

Another set of two convicts got 15 years imprisonment each. They are: 54-year-old Jonathan Nuhu (a.k.a Doctor) who was convicted by Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Kano, Kano state on 17th March 2026 following his arraignment by NDLEA in charge: FHC/KN/CR/96/2023, and 40-year-old Idris Yusuf who was sentenced on 31st March 2026 by Justice Fatima Murtala Nyako of the Federal High Court, Damaturu, Yobe in suit number FHC/CR/6/21, in addition to another eight years sentence for a similar case brought against Yusuf by NDLEA in charge number FHC/CR/DM/16/24.

Other convicts who got seven years imprisonment each for drug trafficking offences in parts of the country include: Godday Obizuo in FHC/AK/64C/2024; Asabe Abubakar in FHC/BAU/CR/16/2026; Godwin Peter, Asuquo Christian and Olabode Sunday in FHC/AD/CR/66/2024.

In his reaction to the conviction of the drug offenders, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) described the sentencing of the 11 drug kingpins to a combined 254 years in prison as a watershed moment in the country’s war against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.

He noted that the conviction of 974 offenders between January and March 2026 sends an unambiguous message that Nigeria is no longer a safe haven for those who trade in human lives and derive pleasure in destroying the lives of the nation’s youth.

According to him, “Securing 974 convictions in just three months is a testament to the relentless spirit of our officers and the thinning patience of the Nigerian state toward drug merchants. To the 11 kingpins who thought they were untouchable, their 254-year collective residency in correctional centres is a firm reminder that the long arm of the law has finally caught up with their greed.”

Marwa commended the Judiciary for the accelerated hearing of the cases, noting that swift justice is the most potent deterrent. To officers, men and women of the Agency, he said
“Your bravery in the face of danger is yielding fruit. We will continue to prioritize your welfare and provide the tools needed to stay ahead of these criminal syndicates.”

He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, adding that “these victories belong to the citizens who provide the intelligence that fuels our operations.”

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He gave the caution while delivering a convocation lecture at the University of Abuja, stressing that the growing trend of substance abuse among youths now poses a serious threat to national development.

Speaking at the 29th and 30th combined convocation ceremony of the University of Abuja, Marwa said a drug-related criminal record could end professional aspirations in fields such as law, medicine, and engineering before they even start. He urged graduates to avoid peer pressure and make disciplined choices, noting that Nigeria urgently needs young people with clear minds and strong character to drive progress in an increasingly technology-driven world.

Delivering the Public Lecture for the 29th and 30th Combined Convocation Ceremony of the University of Abuja, titled “High Today, Lost Tomorrow: The Real Cost of Drug Abuse on Campus,” on Tuesday 14th April 2026, Marwa stated that substance abuse has moved from being a street challenge to a lecture hall problem.
He noted that the drug landscape has shifted from traditional substances like cannabis to a complex web of synthetic opioids and designer drugs like Colorado, Loud, and Methamphetamine while expressing concern over the use of social networks for drug distribution and the involvement of students in trafficking.
“A criminal record for drug offences is a life sentence on your career before it even begins. You cannot practice law, medicine, or engineering with a drug-related conviction”, Marwa warned, while outlining the devastating impact of substance abuse across critical areas.
He said apart from drugs hijacking humans’ neurotransmitters, eroding memory and critical thinking, drug abuse is the twin brother of cultism and campus violence, adding that arrest and conviction of offenders end their professional aspirations because the Agency maintains a zero-tolerance policy. He added that the loss of Nigeria’s best minds to psychosis and premature death is another devastating cost of drug abuse among youths.
According to him, “there is correlation between constructed-reality about getting intoxicated and the actual abuse of substance by young people. The National Drug Use and Health Survey report of 2018 was an open aperture on the use of psychoactive substances for non-medical purposes by Nigerians between the ages of 15 and 64.
“In summary, the report of the survey indicted Nigerian youths, predominantly those between 25 and 39, for substance abuse. The survey also established the fact that young people are initiated into substance abuse at about the age of 19 years. Unfortunately, today, we even see kids who are below 15 and 10 already experimenting with illicit substances.
“Statistics from NDLEA activities further infused dire angles to this drug use dossier and invariably throw up a disturbing portrait of substance abuse among youths. For instance, of the 77, 859 drug offenders arrested in the past five years, over 60% of them were young people, both male and female, some of them as young as 15 years old. Similarly, majority of the 48, 836 drug users counselled and treated in NDLEA treatment facilities within the same period were overwhelmingly young people.”
Addressing the graduating students directly, Marwa urged them to remain sober as they begin the next phase of their lives. His words: “You are about to enter a world that is AI-Powered and Fintech-driven, as your convocation theme suggests. There is no room for a clouded mind in a fast-paced world. Choose your circle. Peer pressure is the primary gateway. If your friends require you to be ‘high’ to belong, you are in the wrong company. And as you receive your degrees on Friday and Saturday, remember that character comes before learning. The University of Abuja is the University for Nigeria’s Unity. Let us unite against this scourge. Don’t let a moment of ‘high’ cost you your tomorrow. Nigeria needs your talent, your energy, and—most importantly—your sober mind to lead us into the next decade.”
While calling for all stakeholders to join government efforts in tackling the menace because of its ripple effect, the NDLEA boss said “Let me also state here that drug abuse does not affect only the user. It ripples outward: families suffer emotional and financial strain; institutions face reputational damage; society bears the burden of lost productivity and increased crime; while a nation cannot thrive when its youth—its greatest asset—are compromised.”
“The contributive role of substance abuse to crime and criminality is a strong reason for society to not treat drug issues with levity. The nexus between crime and illicit drugs is not an abstraction, but an everyday reality plaguing contemporary society. We must surmount the substance abuse challenge. It is important to protect our young ones from the vices and vanities of the youth of which substance abuse is a big threat. Success in this assignment will give us assurances that our youths will reach the greatness of the future. Failure will leave the younger generation stranded in the wilderness of life where the future becomes a mirage”, he added.
Marwa concluded by commending the leadership of the University of Abuja for their partnership with NDLEA in strengthening campus surveillance and urged all academic institutions to intensify drug education during orientation programmes and in lecture halls.
Dignitaries at the lecture include the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, Senator Olanrewaju Tejuoso; Vice Chancellor, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi;
Council Member, Dr. Adedeji Adefuye; senior officials of the university; students and senior officers of NDLEA, among others.

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She was arrested along Gamboru Ngala road in possession of 4.3 kilograms of Colorado, a potent synthetic strain of cannabis.

Meanwhile, Adamawa state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Namtari road , Yola South on Monday 30th March intercepted a trailer marked RUW 947 XA transporting 48,000 pills of tramadol. The truck driver, Abdulaziz Ismail Korede, was arrested while a follow-up operation led to the arrest of the recipient, Idris Adamu.

While 60-year-old Idiatu Oladejo was arrested with 15kg skunk in Isale Osun, Osogbo, Osun state on Wednesday 1st April, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence raided the Itaogbolu forest, Akure, Ondo state where they recovered 351 kilograms of skunk and its seeds.

No fewer than 28,600 capsules of tramadol were seized from a 66-year-old  Aminu Usman Gembu when he was arrested at Aliade, Benue state on Wednesday 1st April.

In Edo state, a suspect Roland Owie, 37, was arrested on Monday 30th March following the raid of his warehouse at Egbanke community, Orhionmwon LGA, where 1,378 kilograms of skunk were recovered.

A notorious drug dealer, 40-year-old Ayantola Omodunmomi (a.k.a Iya Elle) was on Wednesday 1st April arrested at Eleta area of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital. Her arrest follows intelligence and surveillance on how she uses her 11-year-old daughter, Anjola, to deliver illicit drugs to her customers. At the time of her arrest, 45.6kg skunk was recovered from her warehouse.

The War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country in the past week. Some of them include: WADA sensitization lecture delivered to students and staff of Okere Grammar School, Saki, Oyo; Shasha Comprehensive High School, Alimosho, Lagos; Ma’ahad Ahmad Turaki Islamiyya, Sabon Gari, Kano; Ezi-Awka Community Secondary School, Awka, Anambra, and Madrasatul Ihsan, Area One Tsafe, Zamfara state, among others.

While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Seme, Borno, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Edo, Adamawa and Benue Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

“These successful operations are a testament to the Agency’s evolving intelligence capabilities and our unwavering commitment to choking the supply lines of drug cartels. Whether they hide behind legitimate businesses, religious titles, or complex concealment methods, we will find them”, Marwa stated.

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The breakthrough began on Wednesday 11th March 2026, when NDLEA officers of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Strategic Command Ikeja Lagos intercepted 3.10 kilograms of cocaine at the export shed of the airport. The illicit substance was meticulously hidden inside tins of palm kernel extract intended for shipment to the UK.

Two suspects handling the shipment, Idris Olayiwola Amoo and Akinlami Akinsoji Adedoyin were promptly arrested. To unravel the sender and the arrowhead of the drug syndicate, a well-coordinated sting operation was carried out on Thursday 2nd April leading to the arrest of the sender of the consignment, Ezemuwo Joel, who operates under a fake identity as Ajayi.

His arrest provided the link to the syndicate’s head, 52-year-old King Arinze who was flushed out of a hideout in the Isolo area of Lagos. He was thereafter taken to his warehouse at 11, Ola Ifa Street, Bucknor, Isolo where NDLEA operatives recovered

886 tins of palm kernel extract prepared for drug concealment; industrial tools including a sealing machine, tin openers; paint sprays; 52 grams of cannabis sativa and a pack of hand gloves. Arinze has since confessed to personally draining the oil from the tins to conceal the cocaine.

Meanwhile, the pastor in charge of the Celestial Church of Christ, Agonvi Sea Beach, Sakpo area of Seme border, Badagry in Lagos state, Pastor Afolabi Hodonu, 45, and his wife, Mrs. Success Hodonu, 35 were on Thursday 2nd April arrested by NDLEA operatives at Gbaji checkpoint have

A search of their Honda Pilot SUV led to the recovery of blocks of skunk weighing 11kg concealed in hidden parts of their vehicle.

The arrest of the couple followed the apprehension of a fake security agent Sunday Samuel, 35, at the same checkpoint on Monday 30th March while conveying 24.5kg skunk from Seme border to Lagos.

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The smashing of the drug syndicate followed intelligence on their trans-border criminal activities. This led to a well-coordinated sting operation by operatives of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Strategic Command of the Agency at the Ojo area of Lagos on Thursday 19th March 2026. In the course of the operation, three jumbo size bags were found in possession of the kingpin 36-year-old Akputa Dickson Ejike.
A search of the bags led to the recovery of Two Hundred and Thirty-Seven (237) wraps of cocaine buried in the heads of imported dry stock fish locally known as “Okporoko.” The cocaine pellets have a gross weight of 5.80 kilograms. The consignment was intended for export to Delhi, India.
In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) on Wednesday 25th March intercepted two illicit consignments heading to the United Kingdom at a courier company. In one of the shipments that originated from Cotonou, Benin Republic, 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine were found concealed in automobile filters while the second parcel contains 40 ampoules of Morphine Sulphate and nine ampoules of Fentanyl.
In yet another major interdiction operation, operatives of a Special Operations Unit of the Agency on Thursday 26th March raided the house of a female head of a notorious drug syndicate, 46-year-old Omolade Abigail Jolayemi at 13 Carter street, Yaba, Lagos where they arrested her and her sales girl, Sarah Zainab Agbabiaka, 31. No fewer than 135 blocks of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 76.30kg, were recovered from them. Omolade popularly known as Iya Ghana, trades in local fabric on the surface but beneath she runs a drug distribution network between Nigeria and Ghana.
Same day, the SOU operatives also arrested Anayo Lucky Ohabiro, 39, at Doyin bus stop, Surulere, Lagos following credible intelligence. A total of 78 blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 41kg were seized from him.
In Ekiti state, an 80-year-old grandpa, Oke Samuel, was on Thursday 26th March arrested by NDLEA operatives during a special raid operation at Mosafuneto camp, Erinmo road, Efon-Alaaye Ekiti. A total of 2.2kg skunk and 1.8grams of methamphetamine were recovered from him, while 894.72kg of same psychoactive substance was seized from another suspect, Enuwa Kehinde Kingsley, 37, when an uncompleted building was raided by NDLEA officers at Ogbese, in Akure North area of Ondo state same day.
Not less than 116.7kg skunk was recovered from a suspect, Saater Nyam, 35,
during a raid operation at Pevi village, Guma LGA, Benue state, on Tuesday 24th March, while in Edo state, NDLEA operatives on Monday 23rd March uncovered a warehouse in Ekpoma town, Esan West LGA, leading to the arrest of a suspect, Felix Donald, 25, and the seizure of 576.5kg skunk and 33 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
In Taraba state, NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence on Tuesday 24th March intercepted a truck marked DUT 457 ZB, conveying 100 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 135 kilograms concealed in bags of animal feed from Garbachede to Gombe state. Two suspects: Osama Mamuda, 21, and Auwal Umar, 22, were nabbed in connection with the seizure.
The War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country in the past week. Some of them include: WADA sensitization lecture delivered to students and staff of Community Secondary School, Itigidi, Abi LGA, Cross River; Government Girls Secondary School, Yola, Adamawa; Islamic High School, Igbeti, Oyo state; Gidan Sarki Primary School, Kano, and Royal Legends Academy, Ibeshe, Ikorodu, Lagos state, among others.
While commending the officers and men of MMIA, SOU, DOGI, Ekiti, Ondo, Benue, Edo and Taraba Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

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