Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted two shipments of synthetic cannabis, popularly known as Colorado, allegedly smuggled from the United Kingdom into Nigeria, recovering a combined 44.45kg of the illicit drug.
The agency also uncovered separate consignments of Colorado concealed inside music speakers at two motor parks in Lagos, with at least seven suspects arrested in connection with the seizures.
The NDLEA disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday, by its Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, detailing the agency’s recent operations across the country.
At the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, operatives intercepted a UK-bound consolidated cargo containing 27 parcels of Colorado weighing 32.20kg.
A real estate agent, Abideen Jide Salami, was arrested on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, after allegedly showing up to collect a large luggage containing the drug using a secret collection code reportedly sent to him by his brother based in the UK.
In a follow-up operation involving another UK-bound consignment, NDLEA operatives traced and arrested its designated recipient, Nurudeen Abiodun Kadiri, 44.
The second consignment contained 12.25kg of Colorado.
Kadiri reportedly told investigators that his brother in the UK sent the consignment to him.
The agency said its operatives also intercepted another consignment of Colorado concealed inside a music speaker at the Maza Maza motor park in Lagos.
The speaker, containing three packs of the illicit substance, was being transported to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and ultimately Liberia.
A 41-year-old tour agent, Ifeanyi Obed Augustine, and the alleged owner of the consignment, 46-year-old Obasi Ugochuckwu, were arrested after NDLEA operatives carried out a sting operation at a nearby eatery.
At the Iddo Notor Park, another suspect, Ifeanyi Nwokolo Henry, was arrested on Friday, September 11, while allegedly attempting to dispatch 2.1kg of Colorado to Kano.
Beyond Lagos, the NDLEA said its operatives recovered large quantities of pharmaceutical opioids and other controlled substances in separate operations across the country.
In Delta State, officers conducting operations in Ughelli and Asaba recovered ampoules of pentazocine injection, codeine syrup, tramadol, diazepam, flunitrazepam, popularly known as Hypnox, and MDMA, also called Molly.
Some of the substances were allegedly concealed inside music speakers. Two suspects, Emeka Oji and Chukwuebuka Anedi, were arrested in connection with the seizures.
In Kano State, NDLEA operatives raided the Sabon Gari area and arrested a 20-year-old suspect, Saidu Adamu, with 785,000 capsules of pregabalin weighing 669.425kg.
Another suspect, Habibu Sabitu, 28, was arrested during a stop-and-search operation, along the Zaria-Kano-Hadejia Road after 1,700 tablets of diazepam were allegedly found concealed inside loaves of bread.
In Plateau State, 51-year-old Chinedu Uzor was arrested at Katako Market, Jos, with 157,100 capsules of tramadol.
The agency also reported a major crackdown on illicit cannabis cultivation, with 4,832.56kg of skunk destroyed on cannabis farms at Usen Forest, Igwe-Oke Forest and Ogboha Forest in Edo State.
A 39-year-old suspect, Sunday Segun, was arrested during the operation on Friday, September 11.
In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence raided a residence along Oke-Iya, Ijoka Road, Akure, on Wednesday, September 9.
They recovered 186kg of skunk allegedly concealed in the boot of a Toyota Avalon car marked ABJ 917 FV.
The suspect, 58-year-old Paul Ogbuwala, was arrested. He allegedly planned to transport the consignment to Jos for onward distribution.
In Kaduna State, a female suspect, Hannah Michael, was arrested at Gonin Gora with 369.6kg of cannabis.
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In Bayelsa State, four suspects, including a 70-year-old woman, Godwoman Gboriye, were arrested at Ovom, Yenagoa, with 110 bags of cannabis weighing 876kg.
The other suspects were identified as Motombo Silver, 44; Pere Andrew, 39; and Keme Andrew, 43.
Commenting on the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd.), commended officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, MMIA, and the commands in Ondo, Edo, Delta, Kaduna, Plateau, Bayelsa and Kano.
Marwa urged the officers to sustain what he described as a balanced approach to drug control, stressing the need to block drug trafficking routes through airports, seaports, land borders and the hinterland.
He also charged them to intensify efforts against drug cartels and illicit cannabis cultivation across the country.
