Major Drug Seizures Across Nigeria Highlight Ongoing Crackdown
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made significant progress in its fight against drug trafficking, with multiple operations across several states leading to the seizure of large quantities of illicit substances. These efforts have been part of a broader campaign aimed at dismantling drug networks and raising awareness about the dangers of substance abuse.
Seizures in Niger, Benue, and Taraba States
In Niger State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a 35-year-old man named Ibrahim Mohammed on November 6 while he was transporting a Volvo truck marked GRZ 872 XA along the Kainji–Wawa Road. The vehicle contained 87,000 capsules of tramadol and 72 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis. This operation highlights the agency’s ability to track and stop drug shipments before they reach their intended destinations.
Similarly, in Benue State, officers intercepted a Toyota Corolla car marked GAN 102 AR on November 3. The driver, Aliyu Samaila, 25, was arrested after 34,520 capsules of tramadol were found concealed in different compartments of the vehicle. The drugs were reportedly loaded in Onitsha, Anambra State, and were being transported to Cameroon.
In Taraba State, a 28-year-old man named Felix Tanko Chinedu was arrested on November 6 at Kasuwabera ATC in Ardo Kola Local Government Area with 15,020 capsules of tramadol. These seizures demonstrate the widespread nature of drug trafficking and the need for continuous vigilance.
Arrest of a Wanted Drug Kingpin
In another significant development, the NDLEA arrested Yussuf Azeez, a wanted drug kingpin, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on November 6. Azeez was attempting to board a flight to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj when he was apprehended.
Azeez had previously faced drug-related charges in the United Kingdom before fleeing to Nigeria. He is alleged to have established a clandestine laboratory in the Lekki area of Lagos for the production of Colorado, a potent synthetic strain of cannabis, along with other illicit substances. Following his arrest, NDLEA operatives raided his secret laboratory located at 17 Vincent Eku Street, Ogombo, Lekki, where they dismantled the equipment and recovered 148.3 kilograms of Colorado and precursor chemicals used for production.
Additional Seizures and Operations
A joint operation between the NDLEA and Nigeria Customs Service at the Sifax Bonded Terminal in Okota, Lagos, on November 7 uncovered 105.5 kilograms of Molly (a designer drug) and 500 grams of methamphetamine concealed in a consignment. This operation underscores the importance of inter-agency collaboration in combating drug trafficking.
Other coordinated operations across the country have also led to several significant arrests and seizures. These efforts are part of a nationwide campaign to dismantle drug trafficking networks and raise public awareness about the dangers of substance abuse.
New Cannabis Variant Discovered
In a related development, the NDLEA discovered a new cannabis variant known as “California Loud” after busting an illicit laboratory in Lagos. This discovery highlights the evolving nature of drug production and the need for constant adaptation in law enforcement strategies.
Commitment to the Fight Against Drug Trafficking
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended the officers for their diligence and renewed the agency’s commitment to the fight against drug trafficking. Marwa stated that the dismantling of yet another clandestine laboratory for the production of Colorado and other dangerous synthetic substances, and the arrest of the kingpin behind it, demonstrate that the agency’s operations against merchants of death are ongoing.
He added, “Those still hiding should know that the NDLEA will continue to hunt them and bring them to justice.”