₦3.4 Billion Drug Empire Crumbles! NDLEA Busts Smuggling Rings, Seizes Explosives

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has executed a major crackdown on narcotics trafficking in Lagos and Port Harcourt, seizing an astonishing 3.5 million opioid pills and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup—with an estimated street value exceeding ₦3.42 billion.

This was disclosed in a statement released on Sunday, May 4, 2025, by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media & Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja. The statement outlined several coordinated operations across various states that resulted in the confiscation of illegal drugs, explosives, and the arrest of prime suspects.

According to the NDLEA, the largest seizure occurred on April 29, during a joint inspection of a flagged container at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State. Officers from NDLEA, Customs, and other security agencies intercepted two million tafrodol 225mg pills and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup.

Simultaneously, a raid in Lagos led to the recovery of 1.5 million opioid pills from suspect Olarenwaju Wahab in the Alaba-Rago area of Ojo. Further investigation linked the contraband to a residence in Victoria Garden City, Lekki, owned by Obinna Kenneth, who is now on the run.

At Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, NDLEA operatives uncovered 42 parcels of “Canadian Loud” cannabis disguised as tins of chocolate, Milo, and kidney beans. The 20kg consignment, flown in from Canada via British Airways, led to the arrest of three individuals, including Monsurat Ewawunmi Lawson, the recipient.

In another operation on May 2, businessman Bobby Morris Osas was intercepted at Lagos Airport while attempting to board a Turkish Airlines flight to Italy. He was found with 8,130 tramadol pills in different dosages.

Earlier, on April 28, NDLEA’s Directorate of Operations and General Investigation foiled a courier shipment of 104 grams of tramadol and skunk concealed in body cream containers and bound for Iraq.

In Kaduna, a final bust occurred on May 3 when operatives stopped a commercial vehicle along the Kaduna-Zaria expressway. Inside a sack, they discovered 942 explosives. The driver, 30-year-old Nura Sani Muhammad, also known as Nura Hariji, was promptly arrested.