KEY POINTS

• The NDLEA stopped shipments containing drugs hidden in religious items together with clothing and games meant for destinations in the US, Saudi Arabia, Italy, and Poland while arresting two suspects at MMIA, Lagos.

• A nationwide drug bust operation throughout Kano, Kwara, Kaduna, Taraba and Osun and Abia resulted in large seizures of tramadol, heroin and skunk and methamphetamine.

• The NDLEA Chairman Marwa stressed that the agency remains dedicated to dissolving drug trafficking operations and building training programs within the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) program.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted four separate drug shipments hidden in prayer beads, board games, and female attire as traffickers attempted to smuggle them to the United States, Saudi Arabia, Italy, and Poland.

During operations, intelligence-led operations at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos apprehended two suspects.

Key arrests and drug seizures

The businesswoman Jakpor Egware May turned 43 years old when authorities detained her as she tried to board an Air France flight for Italy with 190 parcels containing tramadol and skunk. She obtained the drugs for profits through illegal overseas distribution.

Officers at MMIA export shed apprehended 60-year-old Yahaya Fatai Ayinla while he attempted to send skunk hidden in clothing to New York.

Drug traffickers in Lagos made shipment attempts of tramadol and loud and molly through multiple delivery firms in the area. The traffickers concealed the substances inside both Vitamin C bottles and textiles.

Under NDLEA searches operatives discovered cocaine totalling 230 grams which drug dealers had embedded within locally produced prayer beads together with the soles of handmade shoes and board game packaging. The shipments were destined for Saudi Arabia as well as Poland together with the United Arab Emirates.

Nationwide drug raids and arrests

The NDLEA conducted thorough police operations which extended throughout several states outside of Lagos.
Hassan Haruna (40 years old) led the NDLEA operatives to 479 kilograms of compressed skunk at Chalawa located in Kano.

The Ilorin-Jebba expressway became a stage where officials stopped 40,200 tramadol pills while a separate arrest of an opioid suspect in Ilorin produced 21,700 capsules.

Aminu Magaji received an arrest forimento to arrest 2,900 tramadol tablets when he was 25 years old in Kaduna.
The narcotics operation in Taraba and Osun resulted in seizure of various prohibited substances alongside skunk drugs.

Furthermore, agents from the NDLEA executed their biggest drug seizure in Ntigha community located within Isiala-Ngwa North LGA in Abia state.
NDLEA arrested Chinaza Nwogu who went by the nickname “Young Money” after discovering 274 grams of heroin and 141 grams of methamphetamine and 2.9kg of cannabis sativa along with four grams of cocaine from his possession.
The authorities confiscated drug sales transactionwhich proceeds amounted to N753,015.

Ongoing sensitization and crackdown efforts

The NDLEA keeps running its WADA sensitization service through educational institutions and commercial institutes and social groupings across the nation. Awareness campaigns were conducted at:
– U.P.E School, Ilara Epe, Lagos
– Government Day Secondary School, Adamawa
– Agbegi High Grammar School, Kogi, among others.

The NDLEA demonstrates its dedication to breaking down criminal drug organizations

NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers for their operational successes and reaffirmed the agency’s determination to dismantle drug trafficking networks across Nigeria.

He warned that law enforcement remains vigilant and is fully committed to curbing drug trafficking and abuse.