In a sweeping crackdown on transnational drug trafficking networks, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted cocaine concealed in female lipsticks and property title documents destined for the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, respectively. The seizures were made on Thursday, 3rd July 2025, at a courier company in Lagos by officers from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI), attached to the logistics hub.
According to a statement signed today 6th July, by the Director Media and Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, a total of 420 grams of cocaine were ingeniously embedded in 84 pieces of factory-fitted female lipsticks bound for the UK, while another 280 grams of the drug were discovered hidden in a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) headed to Saudi Arabia. These interceptions highlight the increasing sophistication of drug concealment techniques used by traffickers.
In a related operation, NDLEA operatives arrested a notorious drug kingpin, Ajetsibo Emami, popularly known as ‘Warri Kinsman,’ on Saturday, 28th June in Ikeja, Lagos. His arrest followed a three-day intelligence-led operation that resulted in the dismantling of his drug trafficking network and the arrest of three accomplices. Recovered from the syndicate were 24 jumbo bags containing 681 pouches of Canadian Loud, a potent cannabis strain, weighing a total of 414.2 kilograms.
Emami’s drug operation was reportedly preparing for a major distribution run to the Lekki area of Lagos before NDLEA operatives intercepted the plan. The agency noted that the network was intended to supply the substance across Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.
In another major bust, NDLEA detained businessman Ajah Johnson Uchenna and his wife, Rosemary Uchenna, who were revealed to be running a significant drug trafficking network from their residence in Ojo, Lagos. Initially arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) on 13th June and later handed over to NDLEA, the couple was found with 277.5 kilograms of skunk. Further investigations led to the discovery of another 231 kilograms of skunk during a follow-up raid on 1st July. Their daughters, Stella and Ngozi Uchenna, and family friend Okoro Elijah, were arrested while continuing the drug operations in the absence of the couple.
At Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, 2nd July, intercepted frequent flyer Aburemi Hysent, who had concealed 7,660 pills of Tramadol (225mg and 200mg) within food packages intended for Italy. Hysent, who claimed he was to be paid €800 for the delivery, is believed to be a courier for traffickers operating between Nigeria and Europe.
On Friday, 4th July, another significant interception was made at the Lagos airport’s export shed. A freight agent, Bolarinwa Saheed, was arrested in connection with an attempt to ship 52 pieces of travelers’ cheques worth 17.7 million Australian dollars to Malaysia via Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight. The cheques, suspected to be counterfeit, were concealed in children’s books. NDLEA has transferred the case to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.
NDLEA Intensifies Nationwide Raids with Massive Drug Seizures and Arrests Across States
Further intensifying its operations, NDLEA officers at Seme border in Badagry recovered 718 large balls of skunk, weighing 359 kilograms, from a storage facility in Baba-Pupa, a border community. In a separate operation along the Okene-Lokoja highway, 10,000 Tramadol pills and co-codamol, along with 1.05 kilograms of Colorado (a synthetic cannabis strain), were seized. Follow-up investigations led to the arrest of Chinedu Odo, Samuel Ogbonna, and Kingsley Ugaji at Jabi Park, Abuja.
In Osun State, multiple drug raids resulted in the arrest of several suspects. On Thursday, 3rd July, Agunbiade Folusho and Suleiman Dasola were apprehended with 13,901 pills and ampoules of opioids in Osogbo. Another suspect, Adebayo Adewale, was arrested with 48,205 opioid pills at a patent medicine shop in Ile-Ife. A separate raid on a vulcanizer workshop in Alekuwodo on 1st July led to the arrest of Wasiu Ajadi, Babatunde Jamiu Ojo, and Yusuf Sarafadeen, who were found with 1,250 ampoules of pentazocine, 850 pills of tramadol, and three bottles of codeine syrup.
In a major eradication operation, NDLEA destroyed 24,175 kilograms of skunk on 9.67 hectares of cannabis farmland in Ikaka, Oke-Ila forest, Osun State. Seven suspects—Bunmi Adedapo, Adebisi Sodiq, Babatunde Gani, John Sunday, Israel Odabe, Solomon Odabe, and Prosper Odabe—were arrested during the operation on 3rd July.
In Borno State, 167 kilograms of skunk were recovered at Gamboru-Ngala, while 452 kilograms of the same substance were seized at Gadar Tamburawa along the Zaria-Kano road. Two suspects, Nasuru Saleh and Mustapha Muhammad, were arrested on Thursday, 3rd July in connection with the seizures.
Along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway, 30-year-old Sule Ibrahim Sadiq was arrested with 11,000 Tramadol pills on the same date. In Sokoto, 62-year-old Joseph Onungene was caught with 4,800 Tramadol pills, while in Kebbi State, NDLEA operatives raided a location in Bakin Kasuwa Yauri and seized 312 kilograms of skunk and 10,000 diazepam tablets.
In Taraba State, Chigbo Okolo, 52, and Ishaku Musa, 28, were arrested with 49,930 Tramadol capsules in Mallum, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area. In Edo State, a raid on Ewere forest in Owan West LGA resulted in the arrest of wanted suspect Alaba Monday, found with 115 kilograms of processed skunk. Three others—Shamsu Abdullahi, Peter Egboko, and Justin John—were also nabbed in another cannabis farm measuring over two hectares.
NDLEA operatives in Cross River arrested 78-year-old Mike Abeng with 14.49 kilograms of skunk and tramadol in Ofudua, Obubra LGA. Others arrested in the same LGA were Oyom Akam, Sylvester Odem, and Moses Ayo, all found with varying quantities of illicit substances.
NDLEA Expands WADA Advocacy Nationwide, Commends Commands for Balanced Anti-Drug Strategy
Meanwhile, NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy across Nigeria. Recent sensitization lectures were delivered at Queen of Angel Secondary School in Enugu, Divine Purpose College in Ikorodu, Lagos, Al-Furqan College in Katsina, and among residents of Gomari Binta Suga community in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Commending the various NDLEA commands for their diligence and coordination, the Chairman/CEO of the agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the officers for maintaining a strong balance between supply reduction and demand reduction efforts across the country.
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