NDLEA Seizes N3.4bn Worth of Opioids in Major Raids Across Nigeria, Arrests Drug Kingpin After 10 Months in Hiding

…Arrests Drug Kingpin After 10 Months in Hiding.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have recorded a series of major victories in the fight against drug trafficking, with the seizure of over N3.4 billion worth of illicit opioids and narcotics across Lagos, Port Harcourt, and other states, culminating in the arrest of a high-profile drug kingpin after 10 months on the run.

A joint operation on Tuesday, April 29, at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, led to the discovery of 2 million pills of tafrodol 225mg and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup. Meanwhile, in Lagos, 1.5 million pills of a controlled opioid were recovered from a suspect at Alaba-Rago, with the source traced to a residence in Victoria Garden City, Lekki.

In another major bust, NDLEA officers at Murtala Muhammed International Airport intercepted 20kg of Canadian Loud cannabis hidden in chocolate tins and food containers. Three suspects, including receiver Monsurat Ewawunmi Lawson, were arrested between April 30 and May 3.

Several other arrests were made at airports and highways. These included the interception of tramadol hidden in body cream bottles destined for Iraq, and the arrest of Bobby Morris Osas at Lagos airport with over 8,000 tramadol pills en route to Italy.

In a separate incident, 942 explosives being transported from Nasarawa to Zamfara were discovered by NDLEA patrols on the Kaduna-Zaria expressway. A 30-year-old suspect, Nura Sani Muhammad (alias Nura Hariji), was arrested.

The agency also made substantial seizures of various opioids in Kano, Edo, Anambra, and Niger states, with suspects taken into custody along key trafficking routes.

Crowning the week’s success was the arrest of Dominic Chiegozie Obijiaku, Managing Director of Ovidaq International Ltd, wanted in connection with a July 2024 shipment of over 2.6 million tramadol pills intercepted at Apapa port. His arrest followed a 10-month investigation and led to further recovery of Canadian Loud cannabis at his Lekki residence.

Chairman/CEO of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the coordinated efforts of officers nationwide, highlighting their balanced focus on both supply reduction and public advocacy through the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.

These developments underscore the NDLEA’s intensifying efforts to combat drug trafficking and protect public health and safety across Nigeria.