NDLEA Smashes Hajj Cocaine Syndicate, Seizes ₦9.3 Billion Worth Of Drugs Across Nigeria

The breakthrough came after NDLEA operatives arrested key members of the syndicate in Kano, following the earlier interception of two Hajj-bound pilgrims attempting to traffic drugs out of Nigeria.

The suspects — Abubakar Muhammad, Abdulhakeem Muhammed Tijjani, and Muhammad Aji Shugaba — were taken into custody on May 27 and 28, 2025, in a follow-up operation prompted by the arrest of two men at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. The duo, Ibrahim Umar Mustapha and Muhammad Siraj Shifado, were caught on May 26 while trying to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Jeddah. Intelligence-led scans revealed they had ingested illicit substances. Each later excreted 45 wraps of cocaine, totaling 90 pellets weighing 1.04 kilograms.

Investigations swiftly led to the arrest of the cartel leaders believed to be orchestrating this international drug operation, which NDLEA officials described as a sophisticated network exploiting religious travel routes.

In a separate bust at the same airport, NDLEA operatives on May 28 arrested 60-year-old businessman Chinedu Leonard Okigbo. Booked on a Qatar Airways flight to Iran, he also tested positive for drug ingestion and excreted 65 wraps of cocaine, weighing 1.41 kilograms.

Further crackdowns were carried out across the country. At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Rivers State, NDLEA agents — working with Customs and other agencies — searched seven watch-listed containers between May 28 and 30. The search yielded 825,200 bottles of codeine-based syrup and trodol, with an estimated value of ₦5.77 billion.

In addition, officers confiscated 5.1 million pills of opioids, primarily Tapentadol 225mg, worth approximately ₦3.57 billion. The total value of drugs seized in these operations exceeds ₦9.3 billion.

On May 30, along the Kano-Maiduguri Road, NDLEA operatives intercepted two suspects — Abubakar Hussein (42) and Sahabi Adamu (53) — in possession of $900,000 in counterfeit U.S. currency. The fake notes and suspects will be handed over to relevant authorities for further investigation.

In another major operation, NDLEA recovered 390 compressed blocks of cannabis (skunk), weighing over 275kg, from an abandoned Toyota Sienna van on the Ngurore-Yola Road in Adamawa State on May 27.

Additionally, in Ilorin, Kwara State, a notorious female drug dealer, Alhaja Mutiat Abdul-Fatai, was arrested on May 31 in the Oja Oba area. Officers recovered various quantities of tramadol, flunitrazepam, and codeine syrup from her residence.

Meanwhile, NDLEA continued its public awareness campaign under the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative, holding sensitization sessions in schools across Katsina, Enugu, Anambra, Kano, and Cross River States.

Commending the nationwide efforts, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) said:

“The arrests and seizures of the past week reaffirm our commitment to balancing drug supply reduction with demand reduction. I applaud our officers’ dedication and professionalism across all commands.”

The NDLEA reiterated its resolve to intensify the fight against drug trafficking while promoting education and prevention to reduce demand for illicit drugs.