Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has confirmed the interception of over N6.5bn worth of illicit pharmaceutical opioids and codeine syrup at aNigerian seaports.
He also confirmed the arrest of multiple suspects in coordinated raids across the country targeting drug traffickers and smuggling networks.
The seized items include six million pills of opioids—Tamol 225mg, Tapentadol 225mg, and Carisoprodol 225mg—and 332,000 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup seized during operations at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex (Onne) and Apapa Seaport, Lagos.
Marwa said the agency arrested 18 suspects, and recovered N3.9m and 17,200 South African Rand during the operation.
The seizures followed intelligence-based tracking of new smuggling routes. According to the NDLEA, drug cartels had begun rerouting shipments into Nigeria, prompting the agency to watch-list suspect containers for 100 per cent physical inspection.
At the Port Harcourt port, two containers examined on May 19 and May 20, 2025, revealed the hidden consignments—six million opioid pills and 162,000 bottles of codeine syrup.
Similarly, at Apapa port, NDLEA operatives discovered an additional 170,000 bottles of codeine syrup inside a flagged container on Thursday 22nd May.
In a separate operation at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, NDLEA operatives foiled an attempt to smuggle 92 bags of Loud (51.10kg) and arrested two British nationals and two Nigerians.
“Mhizha Jordan Alexander Tatendra was arrested upon arrival from Doha on Qatar Airways on Thursday, May 15, 2025, after NDLEA officers monitored him through airport security to the car park.
“There, Ayedipe Andrew Adejuwon, a Nigerian-British dual citizen, along with Shonowo Oluwaseun Imole and Ofuoma Omokaro Ayobami, awaited the consignment in an SUV.
“The NDLEA operatives tracking them however swooped on them as they attempted to drive out of the airport car park, arresting them with the drug exhibits in the vehicle” he said.
In his statement, Alexander admitted that he “was recruited during his vacation weeks ago while he was promised 1,300 British Pounds after a successful delivery of the consignment in Lagos.”
A follow-up search of their Lekki residence uncovered N3.9m, 17,200 South African Rand, an Apple laptop, an iPhone 14 Pro Max, and four canisters of laughing gas (Nitrous Oxide).
The operations also extended to Cross River State, where agents destroyed 75,000kg of skunk cannabis across 30 hectares of farmland in Esuk-Odot village, Odukpani LGA, and recovered 200kg on Wednesday, May 22, 2025.
Further raids in Edo State led to the destruction of 1,957.5kg of skunk in Ohosu Forest (Ovia South-West LGA) and Okhuse community forest (Owan West LGA) on Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th May.
In Nasarawa, Sunday Daniel (51) and Abu Peter (30) were caught in Keffi with 4,000kg of skunk concealed under unprocessed wood. Godwin Obi (39) was arrested in Karu with 154.5kg on Wednesday 21st May.
Meanwhile, in Kaduna, Muhammad Hamza (22) was apprehended with 57,750 pills of tramadol and diazepam along the Kaduna-Zaria expressway on Wednesday 21st May.
In Bauchi, Usman Muhammad (45) was arrested on the Bauchi-Misau road with 80 blocks of skunk (45kg).
In Yobe State, NDLEA officers intercepted 55 parcels of Colorado (2kg) from Adum Muhammed (29), who attempted to smuggle them into Chad via Ngamboru Ngala, Borno State.
Along the Mokwa-Jebba road in Niger State, operatives arrested Adams Ayibakro with 97kg of compressed cannabis packed into 235 blocks in a Mercedes Benz (FST 938 FU) on Thursday 22nd May.
In Lagos, a raid in Osapa London, Lekki, led to the arrest of Jonathan Isa with quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, molly, Rohypnol, codeine, cannabis, and nitrous oxide.
Another operation at Idasun, Eleko, Ibeju-Lekki, on Saturday 24th May, resulted in the arrest of Olamilekan Idowu and the seizure of 48kg of skunk.
Marwa praised the officers of PHPC, MMIA, Apapa, Nasarawa, Cross River, Edo, Lagos, Niger, Kaduna, Yobe, and Bauchi Commands for their dedication.
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