The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered multiple consignments of illicit drugs ingeniously concealed in frozen snails, electrical bulbs, and female clothing bound for the United States, United Kingdom, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The operations, conducted by NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) and a courier company in Lagos, led to the arrest of several suspects and the interception of significant quantities of controlled substances.
In a statement the Agency confirmed that a cargo agent, Boladale Riliwan, was apprehended on October 7, 2025, for attempting to export 15 parcels of skunk a potent strain of cannabis concealed in 10 giant rechargeable bulbs to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
NDLEA Unveils Digital System to Streamline Drug Integrity Test
Similarly, 48-year-old Olawale Oyebola Hakeemot, a UK-based public health assistant, was arrested on October 12 at Terminal 2 of MMIA for attempting to smuggle 2,300 pills of Tramadol (225mg) hidden inside frozen snails. She was en route to Manchester, United Kingdom, on a Qatar Airways flight.
In another operation on October 16, NDLEA operatives at a Lagos courier firm foiled an attempt to ship 810 pills of Bromazepam cleverly hidden in female clothes destined for the United States.
In Adamawa State, officers at an NDLEA checkpoint in Namtari, Yola South LGA, intercepted Bello Buba, who was transporting 38,270 Tramadol pills concealed inside the spare tyre, boot, and door compartments of a Honda Civic driven from Benin Republic into Nigeria.
NCS Port Harcourt Rallies NDLEA, Police for Safer Ports, Borders
In Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives destroyed 53,250kg of skunk cultivated on 21.3 hectares of cannabis farmland in Ilawe Ekiti, alongside 1,140kg of dried cannabis recovered during a two-day operation. Three suspects Matthew Emmanuel (26), James Moses (27), and Israel Samuel (20) — were arrested.
A similar raid in Ondo State led to the destruction of 17,400kg of skunk across 6.96 hectares of cannabis plantations in the Aponmu Forest Reserve, Akure.
In Oyo State, operatives arrested Aliyu Muhammed (50), Babarinde Segun (32), Ogunbiyi Sanjo (30), and Ajani Oluro (30) with 596kg of skunk at Apata-Ako, Igboora. Two others — Jacob Afolabi (30) and Salako Oluwatobi (25) — were caught with 273kg of the same substance in Odo-Oyan, Igangan.
Other significant arrests include Joseph Andrew, caught with 88kg of skunk in Ona-Imeko, Ogun State, and Festus Udoh (42), found with 13,000 opioid pills along the Onitsha–Owerri Road, Imo State. NDLEA officers in Enugu State also recovered 74.5kg of skunk from the store of Joseph Chukwujamaa in Umuogbo-Agu Village.
In Lagos, a total of 117kg of skunk was seized from the base of a suspect, Ramoni Olukowi, in Mushin, while 80,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup imported from India were intercepted in a container at Apapa Port during a joint operation with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies.
Meanwhile, NDLEA formations nationwide continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaign, holding lectures across secondary schools, colleges, and communities. These include programs at Commercial Grammar School, Igogo Ekiti; Government Technical College, Ahoada, Rivers; Attarbiyya Community College, Hotoro, Kano; and St. Peter’s College, Abeokuta, among others.
While commending the operatives for their “exceptional vigilance and professionalism,” NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the officers and men of the MMIA, Apapa, Lagos, Ekiti, Adamawa, Oyo, Enugu, Ogun, Ondo, and Imo Commands for their efforts.
He urged them to remain relentless in executing the Agency’s balanced strategy — focusing on both drug supply reduction and demand reduction — as part of Nigeria’s broader national drug control framework.