NDLEA Intercepts N6.5 Billion Worth of Opioids at Lagos, Rivers Ports, Arrests Two British Nationals in Drug Bust
…77,000kg of Skunk Destroyed in Forest Raids; Massive Hauls Recovered in Nasarawa, Niger, Edo, and Cross River
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted illicit pharmaceutical consignments worth over N6.5 billion at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State, and the Apapa seaport in Lagos, while also arresting two British nationals and their Nigerian accomplices for attempting to smuggle cannabis into the country through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The intercepted shipments included a staggering six million pills of opioids — specifically tamol 225mg, tapentadol 225mg, and carisoprodol 225mg — as well as 332,000 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup. The NDLEA placed the total street value of the seizures at N6,524,000,000.00.
According to Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA Headquarters, the seizures were made following intelligence reports which revealed new trafficking routes exploited by drug cartels. Acting on this intelligence, the Agency placed specific containers under watch for 100 percent examination.
The operation at the Port Harcourt Ports uncovered the six million pills and 162,000 bottles of codeine syrup in two containers during a joint examination carried out on Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th May 2025 by NDLEA operatives in collaboration with officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies.
Similarly, at the Apapa seaport in Lagos, NDLEA personnel discovered an additional 170,000 bottles of codeine syrup on Thursday 22nd May during another joint inspection of a watch-listed container.
In a related operation at MMIA Lagos, two British nationals — Mhizha Jordan Alexander Tatendra and Ayedipe Andrew Adejuwon — along with two Nigerian associates, Shonowo Oluwaseun Imole and Ofuoma Omokaro Ayobami, were arrested for attempting to smuggle 92 bags of Loud, a potent cannabis strain, weighing 51.10kg into Nigeria.
Tatendra, who flew in from Doha on a Qatar Airways flight on Thursday 15th May, was trailed by NDLEA operatives after clearing security.
Surveillance continued as he proceeded to the airport car park, where he was met by Adejuwon — identified as a British-Nigerian dual national — alongside Shonowo and a driver, Ofuoma. All four were apprehended in possession of the drugs as they attempted to exit the premises.
Tatendra confessed during interrogation that he had been recruited during a recent holiday and was promised £1,300 for the successful delivery of the consignment. Adejuwon, believed to be the mastermind, revealed he had entered Nigeria via South Africa and Ghana the day prior.
A follow-up raid on their Lekki residence led to the recovery of N93,000, 17,200 South African Rand, an additional N3,810,500 in cash, an Apple laptop, an iPhone 14 Pro Max, and four canisters of nitrous oxide (commonly known as laughing gas).
Meanwhile, large-scale forest operations in Cross River and Edo states led to the destruction of over 77,000 kilograms of cannabis plants.
In Esuk-Odot village, Odukpani LGA of Cross River State, NDLEA operatives cleared 30 hectares of cannabis farms on Wednesday 22nd May and recovered an additional 200kg of skunk. Similarly, on Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th May, a combined 1,957.5kg of skunk was destroyed in Ohosu forest, Ovia South West LGA and Okhuse community forest, Owan West LGA, Edo State.
In Nasarawa State, NDLEA operatives arrested two suspects, Sunday Daniel, 51, and Abu Peter, 30, in Keffi on Saturday 24th May after uncovering 4,000kg of skunk hidden beneath unprocessed wood in their lorry.
Another suspect, Godwin Obi, 39, was caught in Karu with 154.5kg of the same substance on Wednesday 21st May.
Kaduna Command operatives intercepted a 22-year-old, Muhammad Hamza, along the Kaduna-Zaria expressway with 57,750 pills of tramadol and diazepam on Wednesday 21st May. That same day, Bauchi Command arrested Usman Muhammad, 45, with 80 blocks of skunk weighing 45kg along Bauchi–Misau road.
Also on Wednesday 21st May, 55 parcels of Colorado — a synthetic strain of cannabis — weighing 2kg were intercepted along the Potiskum–Damaturu road in Yobe State.
The suspect, Adum Muhammed, 29, was allegedly en route to smuggle the drugs into the Republic of Chad via the Ngamboru Ngala border in Borno State.
Further west in Niger State, a patrol unit along the Mokwa–Jebba road stopped a Mercedes Benz marked FST 938 FU, which was found carrying 235 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 97kg. The driver, Adams Ayibakro, was taken into custody.
In Lagos, additional raids were conducted in the Osapa London area of Lekki, where a suspect, Jonathan Isa, was apprehended in possession of multiple illicit substances, including cocaine, methamphetamine, molly, Rohypnol, codeine, cannabis, and nitrous oxide.
Another raid on Saturday 24th May at Idasun, Eleko, Ibeju Lekki resulted in the arrest of Olamilekan Idowu and the seizure of 48kg of skunk.
As part of its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy, the NDLEA carried out sensitisation campaigns across various states.
Lectures were delivered at Adamu Babbale Government Secondary School in Katsina; Mary Hanney Secondary School, Oron, Akwa Ibom; Nnodo Secondary School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi; Government Secondary School, Guyuk, Adamawa; and Government Girls Islamic Secondary School, Gwagwarwa, Kano.
In Lagos, the state command paid an advocacy visit to the Sarkin Fulani of Lagos, Alhaji Muhammadu Bambado.
Commending the exceptional efforts of the Agency’s personnel across the PHPC, MMIA, Apapa, Nasarawa, Cross River, Edo, Lagos, Niger, Kaduna, Yobe, and Bauchi Commands, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised their resolve in maintaining an effective balance between drug supply reduction and demand reduction in the country.
