The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) reported on Sunday that its officers had successfully intercepted a cocaine shipment disguised as 20 sets of religious books, en route to Saudi Arabia.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, shared that the cocaine, packed into 20 parcels totaling 500 grams, was hidden inside the pages of religious books. This discovery was made on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, during an inspection of export cargoes at a logistics company in Lagos. The contraband was destined for Saudi Arabia, and the search was conducted by officers from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI).
In a separate operation in Kano, on April 13, 2025, NDLEA officers apprehended 22-year-old Muhammad Mohammed, suspected of supplying illegal substances to bandits. He was caught traveling along the Bichi-Kano road toward Katsina with 277 ampoules of pentazocine injections strapped to his body with tape.
Also, that day, 43-year-old Mohammed Abdulrahman Abdulaziz was arrested in Kano’s Research Rimin Kebe area. He was found with 68 blocks of skunk (a potent form of cannabis), weighing 30 kilograms.
Meanwhile, in Lagos, another seizure took place on April 15, 2025, when NDLEA officers found five parcels of Loud, a strong cannabis strain, weighing 2.8 kilograms, concealed within a carton from the United States.
In Bayelsa State, a significant drug bust occurred in Yenagoa on April 16, 2025, when NDLEA agents raided a property on Major General Isaiah Alison Street, Opolo. They seized 557.2 kilograms of skunk, 5.6 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 29.8 grams of heroin. Four suspects, Sarimiye Suwa Kurtis (46), Roland Prosper (34), Sarimiye Tare Paul (45), and Fidelis Ugbesla (46), were arrested during the raid.
On April 17, 2025, a large haul of 1,100 kilograms of skunk was intercepted in Lagos, where the driver, Ismail Abdullahi, was taken into custody in the Surulere area.
In Kaduna, on April 18, 2025, a raid on the home of 30-year-old Ike Ani in Zaria led to the seizure of 31,950 pills of tramadol and diazepam, which were recovered from the suspect’s hideout.
The same day, in Kebbi, NDLEA officers stopped a vehicle carrying bags of charcoal along Bagudo road. Upon searching the bags, they discovered 97 kilograms of skunk concealed inside. The three individuals in the vehicle—Abubakar Ibrahim (50), Mustapha Aliyu (32), and Bashar Lawali (28)—were arrested.
In Anambra state, 48-year-old Okafor Marcel was arrested with 11.5 kilograms of skunk at Abatete, while in Osogbo, Osun state, 27-year-old Ajala Mercy was apprehended on April 15 with 43 liters of skushi, a dangerous mix of cannabis, opioids, and black currant, found in her residence at Dada Estate.
On the same day, NDLEA agents raided two cannabis farms in Edo State’s Egbeta forest, Ovia North East LGA. They destroyed over 3,700 kilograms of the drug grown on nearly 1.5 hectares of land, as well as recovering 136.5 kilograms of processed cannabis.
At the Tincan seaport in Lagos, 40-year-old Basorun Usman Kayode was arrested after being on the run for two years. He was linked to a previous 107-kilogram shipment of Loud cannabis from Canada that arrived in 2023. Additionally, on April 14, NDLEA agents arrested Dauda Yakubu, who had been distributing illicit drugs within the seaport community.
The NDLEA also continued its nationwide efforts in raising awareness about drug abuse, through its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative. Over the past week, the agency conducted educational lectures at various locations, including St. Michael Anglican Primary School in Epe, Lagos, Community Grammar School in Ipoti Ekiti, College of Education in Minna, and several markets, including Igbona Market in Osogbo and Marian Market in Calabar.
Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman of the NDLEA, praised the officers involved in the recent operations, commending their dedication to reducing both the supply and demand for illegal drugs. He also extended his congratulations to the personnel in Kano, Lagos, Kaduna, Kebbi, Osun, Zone 13, Edo, and Tincan Commands for their swift and effective work.
