By Frontline Reporters
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered a major drug trafficking network, intercepting cocaine concealed in food flasks and other illicit substances hidden in everyday items, as part of a series of coordinated operations across the country.
At the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, NDLEA officers discovered 12 parcels of cocaine weighing 2.80 kilograms ingeniously concealed within the false bottoms of food flasks. The consignment was bound for the United Kingdom aboard a Virgin Atlantic flight.
The interception, which occurred on April 9, led to the arrest of two cargo agents—Ama Obinna Ufeim, 33, and Ogabi Monday Akorede, 39. Subsequent investigations traced the shipment to a 52-year-old freight forwarder, Agoro Tajudeen Moninuola, who was later apprehended.
In a separate operation at the airport’s import shed, NDLEA operatives on April 8 intercepted 2.90 kilograms of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, concealed in snack packs arriving from the United States via a Delta Air Lines flight.
Two clearing agents were initially arrested, while the consignee, a 29-year-old Lagos-based fashion designer, was later tracked and apprehended at his residence in Ogba.
Nationwide clampdown
Beyond Lagos, the agency recorded significant breakthroughs in multiple states, underscoring an intensified nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking.
In Kaduna State, operatives intercepted a cement-laden trailer along the Kaduna–Zaria highway, uncovering a staggering 847 kilograms of skunk hidden within the cargo. The driver was promptly arrested.
In Cross River, a joint operation involving NDLEA personnel and security forces led to the arrest of a 53-year-old suspect during a raid on a forest in Uwet community, Akamkpa Local Government Area. The operation resulted in the destruction of 15,000 kilograms of cannabis cultivated across six hectares of farmland, with an additional 119 kilograms recovered.
Similarly, in Edo State, operatives raided a cannabis farm in Ovia North-East, destroying over 2,281 kilograms of the substance and arresting three suspects found with processed cannabis and seeds.
In Delta State, two individuals were apprehended with nearly 88 kilograms of skunk and cannabis seeds in the Okwo area.
Back in Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted another consignment along the Mile 2–Badagry expressway, arresting suspects attempting to traffic 11,900 capsules of tramadol and 400 ampoules of phenobarbital injections to Ghana. A separate raid on a building in Lagos Island yielded an additional 95.8 kilograms of skunk.
WADA campaign gains ground
The agency also highlighted progress in its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, noting that sensitisation efforts were carried out nationwide in schools, workplaces, worship centres, and communities.
Commending the operations, NDLEA Chairman Mohamed Buba Marwa praised officers across commands for combining enforcement with public education.
“I commend the officers for their commitment. Their drug supply reduction efforts are well balanced with WADA sensitisation activities,” he said.
Marwa urged operatives to sustain the momentum, calling for continued vigilance in tackling drug trafficking and abuse across the country.
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