Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered an international drug trafficking attempt involving cocaine concealed within religious books destined for Saudi Arabia.
In a statement released on Sunday, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed that the cocaine consignment, comprising 20 parcels weighing 500 grams was intercepted on Tuesday, April 15, during a routine inspection of outbound cargo at a courier company in Lagos by officers from the directorate of operations and general investigation.
On the same day, NDLEA operatives at another courier facility intercepted five parcels of loud, a potent strain of cannabis, weighing 2.8 kilograms. The drugs were hidden in a carton shipped from the United States.
In a broader clampdown across the country, the NDLEA arrested a 22-year-old drug courier, Muhammad Mohammed, along the Bichi-Kano Road.
He was en route to Katsina with 277 ampoules of pentazocine injection strapped to his thigh and private parts using sellotape.
Also in Kano, another suspect, Mohammed Abdulaziz, was arrested with 68 blocks of skunk weighing 30kg.
The NDLEA added that a significant drug bust occurred in Bayelsa State on Wednesday, April 16, where officers raided a residence on Major General Isaiah Allison Street, Opolo, Yenagoa, recovering 557.2kg of skunk, 5.6kg of methamphetamine, and 29.8 grams of heroin.
Four suspects were apprehended during the raid.
Also, in Lagos, a delivery van carrying 1,100 kilograms of skunk was intercepted in Surulere on Thursday, April 17, with the driver, Ismail Abdullahi, taken into custody.
Meanwhile, in Zaria, Kaduna State, a raid on Friday, April 18, led to the seizure of 31,950 pills of tramadol and diazepam at the hideout of a suspect, Ike Ani.
On the same day in Kebbi State, NDLEA officers intercepted a charcoal-laden vehicle from Benin Republic, discovering 97kg of skunk hidden within the sacks.
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Three suspects, Abubakar Ibrahim, Mustapha Aliyu, and Bashar Lawali, were arrested.
In Anambra State, a 48-year-old man, Okafor Marcel, was found in possession of 11.5kg of skunk in Abatete, while in Osogbo, Osun State, Ajala Mercy, was arrested with 43 litres of skushi, a dangerous cocktail of black currant, cannabis, and opioids.
Additionally, NDLEA operatives in Edo State raided two cannabis farms in Egbeta Forest in Ovia North East Local Government Area, destroying 3,717.86kg of cannabis grown on 1.49 hectares of land and recovering 136.5kg of processed cannabis.
At the Tin Can seaport in Lagos, a long-sought-after suspect, Basorun Kayode, was arrested in connection with a 2023 seizure of 107kg of loud imported from Canada.
Another dealer, Dauda Yakubu, was also apprehended for distributing drugs within the port community.
Chairman of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd) commended the efforts of the agency’s officers across multiple states, praising their commitment to curbing both drug supply and demand nationwide.
