NDLEA intercepts N3.4 billion worth of opioids, codeine in Lagos and Port Harcourt
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a massive drug haul comprising over 3.5 million pills of opioids and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup, with an estimated street value of N3.4 billion, during separate operations in Lagos and Port Harcourt.
In a statement released on Sunday, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed that the bulk of the seizures occurred on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, during a joint inspection of a watch-listed container at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State.
According to Babafemi, NDLEA operatives, working in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies, uncovered two million pills of tafrodol 225mg and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup inside the container.
“In Lagos, a total of 1,500,000 pills of a controlled opioid were recovered from a suspect Olarenwaju Wahab at the Alaba-Rago area of Ojo on Tuesday 29th April while the source of the consignment was traced to Q104B Road 25, Victoria Garden City, Lekki, which is the residence of one Obinna Kenneth who is now at large,” he said.
Canadian Loud seized at MMIA
According to him, NDLEA operatives at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted 42 parcels of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 20kg.
The drugs were concealed in tins of chocolate, Milo beverage, white kidney beans, and dark red kidney beans, and had been packaged as part of cargo arriving at the airport aboard a British Airways flight from Canada.
“At least three suspects, including the receiver of the consignment, Monsurat Ewawunmi Lawson, have been arrested between Wednesday, 30th April and Saturday, 3rd May,” he explained.
Tramadol seizure at Lagos Airport
Babafemi also revealed that on Friday, May 2, businessman Bobby Morris Osas was arrested at the Lagos airport while attempting to board a Turkish Airlines flight to Italy.
“A thorough search of his luggage led to the seizure of 8,130 pills of tramadol in 225mg, 200mg, and 100mg dosages.”
“In another operation, NDLEA officers from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) thwarted an attempt by a syndicate to ship 104 grams of tramadol and skunk concealed in bottles of body cream to Iraq. This operation took place on Monday, April 28, at a courier company in Lagos,” he said.
Operations extend to Kaduna
The agency’s operations extended to Kaduna as well. On May 3, operatives intercepted a commercial vehicle along the Kaduna-Zaria expressway.
“A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a total of Nine Hundred and Forty-Two (942) explosives concealed in a sack. The driver, Nura Sani Muhammad, 30, was arrested,” Babafemi added.
Additional Arrests Across Nigeria
In separate operations, five members of a syndicate were arrested in Kano with 50 blocks of skunk (21.6kg).
- In Edo, a white Toyota bus carrying assorted opioids from Onitsha to Auchi was intercepted. The bust included 314,020 pills of various drugs and 638 bottles of codeine.
- A Mazda bus in Anambra was seized with over 50,000 capsules of tramadol and other substances.
In Niger State, a truck was intercepted with 5,500 capsules of tramadol and 2,300 ampoules of pentazocine injection.
Drug kingpin arrested
After 10 months of investigation, NDLEA operatives finally arrested Dominic Chiegozie Obijiaku, a 52-year-old wanted drug kingpin and MD of Ovidaq International Ltd, in connection with a 2024 tramadol shipment intercepted at Apapa Port. A raid on his Lekki residence led to the seizure of 51 wraps of Canadian Loud.
Meanwhile, NDLEA’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization continued with lectures in schools across Kano and Katsina states.
Chairman Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended all operatives involved in these successful operations across multiple states and praised the agency’s balance between supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
