The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have intercepted multiple consignments of illicit drugs concealed in frozen snails, electrical bulbs, and female clothing, destined for the US, UK, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a statement on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said the seizures were made at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, and at a Lagos-based courier firm.
Among those arrested was Boladale Riliwan, a cargo agent nabbed on October 7 after 15 parcels of cannabis (skunk) were found hidden in 10 giant rechargeable bulbs en route to the DRC. Also arrested was 48-year-old UK-based public health assistant, Olawale Oyebola Hakeemot, on October 12 at MMIA while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Manchester. Operatives found 2,300 pills of Tramadol 225mg concealed in frozen snails in her luggage.
On October 16, NDLEA officers also intercepted 810 pills of bromazepam hidden in female clothes and destined for the US through a courier service.
In Adamawa, Bello Buba was caught with 38,270 Tramadol pills concealed in the spare tyre, boot, and door panels of a Honda Civic. He allegedly drove in from Benin Republic to smuggle the drugs into Nigeria.
In Ekiti State, operatives destroyed 21.3 hectares of cannabis farmland in Ilawe Ekiti between October 12 and 13, recovering 1,140kg of skunk and arresting three suspects: Matthew Emmanuel (26), James Moses (27), and Israel Samuel (20). A separate operation in Ondo State’s Aponmu Forest Reserve on October 12 led to the destruction of 17,400kg of cannabis on 6.96 hectares.
Other notable arrests were recorded in Oyo, Ogun, Imo, Enugu, and Lagos states. In Oyo, six suspects were caught with over 869kg of skunk in Igboora and Igangan. In Ogun, Joseph Andrew was found with 88kg of skunk in Ona-Imeko. In Imo State, Festus Udoh (42) was intercepted with 13,000 opioid pills on the Onitsha–Owerri Road. In Enugu, 74.5kg of skunk was seized from Joseph Chukwujamaa’s store in Umuogbo-Agu Village. In Lagos, 117kg of skunk was recovered from a Mushin base linked to Ramoni Olukowi.
On October 14, a joint operation with the Nigeria Customs Service at Apapa Port led to the seizure of 80,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup from a container flagged by the NDLEA.
Babafemi added that the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign continues across schools and communities, with recent outreach conducted in Ekiti, Rivers, Katsina, and Ogun states.
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) praised the officers for their efforts and encouraged them to sustain their “balanced approach” in the agency’s drug control operations.
