The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a consignment of cannabis concealed in a palm oil keg at Kano airport and uncovered 8,725kg of powdered tramadol worth over ₦6.98 billion at the Apapa port in Lagos.
The agency disclosed that the seizures were part of a series of operations conducted across Lagos, Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Territory, resulting in the recovery of large quantities of illicit drugs and the arrest of several suspects.
At the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, operatives on Friday, October 16, arrested a female passenger, Fatimah Ahmad, after discovering 511.75 grams of cannabis hidden inside a gallon of palm oil. She was preparing to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, through Addis Ababa. Her cousin, Abubakar Yahaya, who allegedly gave her the consignment, was subsequently arrested at the airport car park.
At the Apapa port in Lagos, NDLEA officers, working alongside the Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies, discovered 349 bags of powdered tramadol weighing 8,725kg. The shipment, imported from India and falsely declared as maize starch, was confirmed through laboratory tests to contain tramadol hydrochloride. The agency valued the consignment at more than ₦6.98 billion in street value.
Another operation at the Tin Can Island port on October 12 led to the seizure of 55kg of Canadian Loud, valued at ₦165 million. The substance was concealed in brown cartons inside a Toyota Sienna transported in a 40-foot container.
In other Lagos operations, officers raided Idumota market on October 14 and arrested Elizabeth Chidera Kalu, recovering 10,600 ampoules of diazepam injection and 6,500 tablets of Molly from her store. Two men, Idowu Daudu and Ahmed Oniyinde, were also arrested in Mushin the following day with 59.95kg and 61.23kg of cannabis, respectively.
Along Iyana Oba, operatives intercepted a truck allegedly transporting illicit drugs from Trade Fair market. The suspects, identified as Tajudeen Adeduntan, a loading manager, and his assistant, Azeez Sikiru, were arrested. A search of the vehicle uncovered 18,000 tablets of tramadol concealed in cartons labelled as Rambo insecticide.
In Edo State, six suspects were arrested during raids in Warake, Ivhiaro and Ewe/Irue communities in Owan East Local Government Area between October 15 and 16. Those arrested included 85-year-old Grace Ehimeka, who was found with 179kg of cannabis. Other recoveries included 220.8kg of cannabis from Ayo Aigberadion, alongside additional quantities of cannabis, cannabis seeds, tramadol, Swinol, diazepam and other illicit substances from the remaining suspects.
NDLEA operatives also raided a cannabis farm in the Okemoro Isinbode camp forest in Ondo State on October 17, destroying approximately 7,500kg of cannabis cultivated across three hectares. Five suspects were arrested, while officers recovered 1,267kg of processed cannabis, 11kg of cannabis seeds and 3kg of fresh stems. In a separate operation in Owo, 375kg of cannabis was recovered from the hideout of 53-year-old Okunebe Ndidi.
In Bauchi State, officers intercepted a Volkswagen Golf wagon at Ragwam village in Katagum Local Government Area on October 14, recovering 894,800 pills of tramadol capsules and Exol-5 tablets from Shamsu Garba, 35. On the same day, patrol officers along the Bauchi-Gombe road recovered 291 blocks of cannabis weighing 265kg from an abandoned vehicle at Tudun Natsira village.
Further operations in Kano led to the arrest of Ali Abdullahi, 38, and Ibrahim Adamu, 23, along the Zaria-Kano road, with 30,100 tablets of tramadol. Another suspect, Murtala Dayyabu, 54, was arrested at Niger Street, Malan Kato, with 100,000 tablets of Exol-5.
In Kaduna State, three suspects were arrested in Kayimi village with 496.5kg of cannabis. Another suspect, John Ayo David, 39, was apprehended at Food Palace on Ali Akilu Road with 49,500 tablets of tramadol. In Abuja, NDLEA officers arrested 42-year-old Odo Jonas Ejike in the Utako area with 29,500 tramadol capsules.
Beyond enforcement, the agency continued its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaign in schools, religious centres, workplaces and communities across the country. Beneficiaries included schools in Oyo, Gombe, Lagos, Kogi, Cross River, Edo and Kano states, as well as the Rivers State College of Health Science and Management Technology in Port Harcourt.
The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations for their professionalism and intelligence-led efforts. He urged commands nationwide to maintain pressure on drug trafficking networks while sustaining the agency’s balanced approach to drug control.
The statement was signed by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja, on Sunday, October 18, 2026.
