The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a series of major drug interceptions and arrests across Nigeria, including the seizure of cocaine concealed in food flasks at Lagos airport.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, operatives revealed that 12 parcels of cocaine weighing 2.80 kilograms were uncovered at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja. The illicit drugs were hidden in the false bottoms of food flasks and were being prepared for shipment to the United Kingdom via a Virgin Atlantic flight.
The operation, carried out on April 9, led to the arrest of two cargo agents—Ama Obinna Ufeim, 33, and Ogabi Monday Akorede, 39. Subsequent investigations resulted in the apprehension of the alleged sender, a 52-year-old freight forwarder identified as Agoro Tajudeen Moninuola.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives at the airport’s import shed intercepted another consignment on April 8. This time, 2.90 kilograms of “loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, was discovered concealed in snack packs on a Delta Airlines flight arriving from the United States.
Two cargo clearing agents, Animashaun Moshood Adetunji and Mercy Gabriel Oluwasegun, were initially arrested in connection with the shipment. The consignee, Saheed Adeshina Adegoke, a 29-year-old fashion designer, was later tracked down and arrested in Ogba, Lagos.
Beyond the airport, NDLEA operations extended to several states across the country. Along the Kaduna–Zaria highway, operatives intercepted a truck carrying cement on April 13. A search of the vehicle revealed 760 blocks and 33 jumbo bags of skunk, another form of cannabis, with a combined weight of 847 kilograms. The driver, Umar Garba Haruna, was taken into custody.
In Cross River State, a raid carried out on April 16 in a forest within Uwet community, Akamkpa Local Government Area, led to the arrest of a 53-year-old suspect, Alice Sunday Udoh. During the operation, officers destroyed 15,000 kilograms of cannabis cultivated across six hectares of farmland and recovered an additional 119 kilograms.
A similar exercise was conducted in Edo State on April 14, where operatives raided a cannabis farm in Ovia North East Local Government Area. Authorities destroyed 2,281.43 kilograms of the substance and arrested three suspects: Nweke Smart, 27; Christopher Egbe, 62; and Monday Ayan, 45.
In Delta State, two individuals—Sunday Odili, 49, and Ijenebe Joshua, 39—were apprehended with 87.838 kilograms of skunk and cannabis seeds.
Back in Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested two suspects, Chinedu Ogbekene and Zindozin Aloukou Bienvenu, along the Mile 2–Badagry Expressway on April 15. They were found transporting 11,900 capsules of tramadol and 400 ampoules of phenobarbital injection allegedly destined for Ghana. On the same day, officers raided a building in the Petti area of Lagos Island, recovering 95.8 kilograms of skunk.
The agency noted that alongside enforcement efforts, its commands nationwide have continued advocacy campaigns under the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative.
The programme targets schools, religious institutions, workplaces, and local communities, aiming to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers involved in the operations and encouraged them to sustain their efforts in both enforcement and public sensitisation.
