Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested 14 suspects in coordinated raids across Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Kaduna, Bauchi, Kwara, Taraba, and Anambra States.
The agency also uncovered a laboratory producing synthetic ‘Colorado’ cannabis in Lagos State and seized tonnes of narcotics.
The operations, executed through months of surveillance, targeted inter-state traffickers, local producers, and airport syndicates.
NDLEA teams tracked consignments from ports, highways, and residential locations, launching precision raids that dismantled major drug networks and arrested key dealers.
The agency recovered assorted narcotics valued at over N2bn, including 7.2 tonnes of skunk, tramadol, methamphetamine, Akuskura, and synthetic Colorado, as well as 532,600 pills of opioids and 76.5 litres of skuchies.
The report, released on Sunday, and signed by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, detailed the seizures, total pill count, and the various smuggling methods employed by traffickers—ranging from concealment inside imported goods and inter-state buses to laboratory production in residential areas.
NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Abuja–Jos highway intercepted a shipment of 84,710 tramadol capsules bound for Bauchi from Onitsha on October 26.
A follow-up in Bauchi led to the arrest of 27-year-old Musa Abdulkarim.
Two days later, Hamza Musa (47) was caught along the Abuja–Kaduna highway with 32,946 bottles of Akuskura, while Saidu Nafiu (30) was arrested with 131.5 kg of skunk in Igabi LGA, Kaduna.
Officers at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport intercepted a DHL shipment from New York containing 140 bags of Loud cannabis (77.2 kg) hidden inside bathtub cartons.
The operation on Tuesday, October 28 led to the arrest of Godspower Osahenrumwen (a.k.a. Steady Boy, 20) when he arrived to claim the consignment in Lekki.
His manager, Zion Osazee Omigie (a.k.a. Zee Money), remains at large.
In Ogbese, Ondo State, NDLEA recovered 2,829 kg of skunk linked to Mrs Ige Olarewaju (32). Another suspect, Samuel Adebayo, was caught at Adegbola Junction, Akure with 737 kilograms of the same drug.
Acting on credible intelligence, operatives intercepted two Toyota Sienna vans (EPE 545 EV and ABC 142 CD) conveying 1,455 kg of skunk along the Okhokho–Isi community, Uhunmwode LGA, Edo, on Wednesday, October 29.
That same day, in Kwara State, officers seized 532,600 pills of tramadol and Exol-5 from Halilu Amiru, Rabiu Maikudi, and Ibrahim Mati, after stopping a truck marked KTG-791 ZZ in Oko-Olowo, Ilorin.
In Bauchi State Jamilu Mustapha (a.k.a. Last Card, 46) was arrested in Nasaru town, Ningi LGA, with 596.4 kg of skunk concealed in sacks.
In Ajao Estate, Isolo, Babafemi said a Colorado production laboratory operated by Stephen Kelechi Imoh (30) was raided.
The operation on Thursday, October 30 led to the recovery of “16.2 kg of freshly cooked Colos, 1.7 kg of ADB-CHMNACA Cannabinol, 4.5 kg of Potassium Carbonate, and 91 litres of Dibromobutane”.
That same day in Wukari, Taraba, operatives arrested Musbahu Abdullahi (28) and Saleiman Ahmed (25) transporting 30,370 tramadol pills and 177 grams of methamphetamine from Onitsha to Yola.
Still in Lagos State, officers arrested Ige Oluwale (50) at Ibereko, Badagry, with 76.5 litres of skuchies, a mixture of blackcurrant, skunk, and opioids on Friday, October 31.
Subsequently, operatives raided Afeez Salisu (alias Malu, 28) in Mushin, recovering 16 compressed blocks of Ghana Loud, designer sachets, and bottles of Colorado weighing 16.4 kg on Saturday, November 1.
Same day in Abeokuta, Seun Olaniyi (24), Rauf Asogba (28), and Ayinla Adeniyi (50) were arrested in a bus tracked from Benin Republic with 1,779 kg of skunk.
Commending the operatives, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Brig-Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) assured that the Agency “will continue to identify, dismantle and deprive every drug cartel of the proceeds of their illicit trade through asset forfeiture to the Federal Government.”
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