- Arrests 85-year-old grandma with 179kg cannabis in Edo; destroys 7,500kg skunk farm in Ondo; recovers 894,800 opioid pills in Bauchi
Felix Mbata, Lagos state
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded major breakthroughs in its nationwide offensive against drug trafficking with the interception of a Saudi Arabia-bound consignment of cannabis concealed in a gallon of palm oil at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) and the seizure of 8,725 kilograms of powdered tramadol worth over N6.98 billion at the Apapa Port, Lagos.
The Agency also seized 55kg of Canadian Loud valued at N165 million at the Tincan Port, arrested an 85-year-old grandmother with 179kg of skunk in Edo State, destroyed 7,500kg of cannabis on a three-hectare farm in Ondo State, and recovered hundreds of thousands of opioid pills across Lagos, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Giving details in a statement on Sunday, 18th October, 2026, by the Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA said operatives at MAKIA on Friday, 16th October, intercepted a female passenger, Fatimah Ahmad, during the outward clearance of an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, via Addis Ababa.
Fatimah was found with a gallon of palm oil containing parcels of cannabis weighing 511.75 grams. During interrogation, she told operatives that the gallon was given to her by her cousin, Abubakar Yahaya, who was promptly tracked and arrested at the airport car park.
At the Lagos ports, operatives uncovered two major seizures. Following a joint examination with the Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies at the APM Terminals, Apapa, on 2nd October, NDLEA officers discovered a large shipment of powdered tramadol imported from India and falsely declared as maize starch. A confirmatory test at the NDLEA forensic laboratory confirmed the substance to be tramadol hydrochloride powder. When separated from its concealment on Wednesday, 14th October, the consignment came to 349 bags with a gross weight of 8,725kg, with an estimated street value of over N6.98 billion.
In a similar operation at the Tincan Port on Monday, 12th October, operatives discovered 55kg of Canadian Loud valued at N165 million, concealed in brown cartons hidden inside a Toyota Sienna vehicle conveyed in a 40-foot container.
In other operations in Lagos, NDLEA officers on Wednesday, 14th October, raided Idumota market and arrested Elizabeth Chidera Kalu, recovering 10,600 ampoules of diazepam injection and 6,500 tablets of Molly from her store. On Thursday, 15th October, operatives arrested two men in Mushin: Idowu Daudu, 35, with 59.95kg of skunk, and Ahmed Oniyinde, 35, with 61.23kg of skunk. The same day, acting on credible intelligence, operatives intercepted a truck coming from Trade Fair market along Iyana Oba, arresting Tajudeen Adeduntan, the loading manager, and his assistant, Azeez Sikiru. A search of the truck led to the recovery of 18,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in cartons labelled as Rambo insecticide.
In Edo State, operatives raided Warake, Ivhiaro and Ewe/Irue communities in Owan East Local Government Area between 15th and 16th October, arresting six suspects, including 85-year-old Grace Ehimeka, arrested with 179kg of skunk at Warake. Others arrested were Ayo Aigberadion, 53, with 220.8kg at Ewe/Irue; Ali Garba, 57, with 5.852kg; Habib Braimoh, 45, with 100 grams; Musa Mubid, 35, with 2kg of cannabis, cannabis seeds, tramadol, Swinol and diazepam; and Hope Okoro, 35, with 237 grams of Loud.
In Ondo State, acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, 17th October, raided a cannabis farm at Okemoro Isinbode camp forest, destroying 7,500kg of skunk cultivated on three hectares. Five suspects were arrested: Asikpo Ekpeyoung, 43; Solomon Okpani, 22; Ubong Friday, 35; Joseph Friday, 22; and Ekenimi Seth, 35. Exhibits recovered included 92 bags of skunk weighing 1,267kg, 11kg of cannabis seeds and 3kg of fresh stems, totalling 1,281kg. In Owo area of the state, operatives on Friday, 16th October, trailed 53-year-old Okunebe Ndidi to his hideout in Ameyinti where 25 bags of cannabis weighing 375kg were recovered.
In Bauchi State, operatives on Wednesday, 14th October, intercepted a Volkswagen Golf wagon driven by 35-year-old Shamsu Garba at Ragwam village, Katagum LGA, recovering 894,800 pills of tramadol capsules and Exol-5 tablets. The same day, operatives on patrol along Bauchi-Gombe road recovered 291 blocks of cannabis weighing 265kg from an abandoned car at Tudun Natsira village.
In Kano State, two suspects, Ali Abdullahi, 38, and Ibrahim Adamu, 23, were arrested on Tuesday, 13th October, along Zaria-Kano road with 30,100 tablets of tramadol 225mg, while 54-year-old Murtala Dayyabu was arrested at Niger Street, Malam Kato, with 100,000 tablets of Exol-5 on Wednesday, 14th October.
In Kaduna State, a raid at Kayimi village led to the arrest of Mohammed Sani, 48, Zaharadeen Shafiu, 29, and Yakubu Abdullahi, 20, with 496.5kg of cannabis. In a separate raid at Food Palace, Ali Akilu Road, Kaduna, John Ayo David, 39, was arrested with 49,500 tablets of tramadol 225mg, while 42-year-old Odo Jonas Ejike was arrested with 29,500 capsules of tramadol at Utako area of Abuja on Saturday, 17th October.
Meanwhile, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country sustained their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaign in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities. Some of the institutions sensitized include Nawar-Ur-Deen High School, Ogboro, Oyo State; Elf Junior Secondary School, Bojude, Gombe; Cherubim and Seraphim Primary School, Ikorodu, Lagos; Harmony Secondary School, Lokoja, Kogi; Government Secondary School, Ikot Ansa, Calabar, Cross River; Rivers State College of Health Science and Management Technology, Port Harcourt; Mesh International School, Benin City, Edo; and Abu Hanifa Academy, Kano Municipal, Kano State, among others.
Commending the officers and men of Apapa, Tincan, MAKIA, Lagos, Edo, Bauchi, Ondo, Kano and FCT Commands for their professionalism and intelligence-driven operations, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), urged them and their colleagues nationwide to sustain the onslaught against drug trafficking networks while maintaining the Agency’s balanced approach to drug control.