Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of cocaine and various opioids concealed inside cartons meant for shipment to the United Kingdom and Australia.
The agency disclosed that the seizures were made on Friday, May 15, during the inspection of export parcels at a courier company in Lagos.
According to the NDLEA, 170 grams of cocaine wrapped in cellophane parcels were hidden within the walls of a carton containing clothes destined for Australia. Another shipment heading to the United Kingdom was found to contain 200 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 1,100 capsules of tramadol, and 100 ampoules of promethazine injection concealed inside a carton.
In Delta State, NDLEA operatives raided Ejeonu village in Ukwuani Local Government Area on May 10, destroying 27,500 kilograms of skunk cultivated on 11 hectares of farmland and recovering an additional 22.9 kilograms of the substance. A suspect, 52-year-old Ifeanyichukwu Peter, was later arrested in Obiaruku.
A separate operation in Orogun village, Ughelli North Local Government Area, on May 12 led to the destruction of 37,500 kilograms of skunk spread across 15 hectares of farmland, while 55.4 kilograms were recovered. Thirty-year-old Godwin Vincent Osadera was arrested during the operation.
The NDLEA said the combined operations, carried out with support from soldiers, resulted in the destruction of 65,000 kilograms of skunk.
In Kaduna State, operatives recovered 361 kilograms of skunk during a raid in the Dan Magaji area of Zaria and arrested a 42-year-old suspect, Husaini Suleiman.
The agency also intercepted 1,989 rounds of RLA 7.62mm ammunition along the Abuja-Kaduna highway on May 12. The ammunition was allegedly concealed in bags of garri being transported by 35-year-old Abdullahi Hassan. NDLEA said the suspect and recovered ammunition had been transferred to another security agency for further investigation.
In the Federal Capital Territory, operatives arrested a 29-year-old businessman, Ogadi Peter, accused of producing drug-laced cakes and cookies for parties and social events.
The suspect was arrested at his residence in the Life Camp area of Abuja on May 11, where operatives recovered 800 grams of skunk and 2.7 kilograms of drug-infused cookies.
In Ogun State, NDLEA operatives recovered 181 kilograms of skunk from a suspect identified as Aliyu Sani during a raid in the Ogere area.
Meanwhile, in Taraba State, a 27-year-old suspect, Sufiyanu Mohammed Misa, was arrested along the Zaki-Biam road in Wukari Local Government Area with 105,850 pills of opioids, including tramadol, diazepam, and exol-5.
In Oyo State, two suspects — Adeleke Olamide Aliyah, 20, and Aloba Abdulazeez, 25 — were arrested in Saki town over the seizure of 99 litres of skuchies.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives destroyed 1,388.4175 kilograms of skunk during raids on two farms in Ago forest, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State on May 15.
In Kano State, operatives recovered 1.2 kilograms of tramaking 225mg pills concealed inside a 25-litre jerry can of palm oil at Kofar Ruwa motor park. Another suspect, Aminu Isa, 35, was arrested in the Sabuwar Sharada area with 30.5 kilograms of skunk.
The agency also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign across schools in several states, including Oyo, Niger, Lagos, Katsina, Ekiti, and Kano.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers involved in the operations and praised commands nationwide for balancing drug supply reduction with awareness and prevention campaigns.