Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted opioids worth over N3.2 billion in separate raids at Apapa seaport in Lagos and Port Harcourt port, Onne, Rivers state.
This disclosure is contained in a statement issued by NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Abuja.
Babafemi revealed that a total of 3,000,000 pills of tapentadol and carisoprodol royal 225mg with a street value of N2.1 billion were intercepted at the Port Harcourt Port complex in Onne, Rivers.
He said that the interception, which was based on intelligence, was carried out in one of the containers watch-listed by the agency.
The NDLEA spokesman said that the seizure was made on Wednesday, May 14, during a joint examination of the container by NDLEA officers, personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and other security agencies.
Babafemi also noted that on May 13, operatives of the agency in collaboration with other security agencies intercepted 169,800 bottles of codeine syrup worth N1.1 billion in street value at Apapa port.
He said, “In like manner, NDLEA operatives at the Apapa Port on Tuesday, May 13, intercepted another watch-listed container declared to have new car parts and accessories from India.
“During a joint examination with other security agencies, a total of 169,800 bottles of codeine syrup worth over N1.1 billion in street value were discovered concealed in the shipment.’’
Consequently, this brings the total of drugs intercepted by the agency in both states to N3.2 billion.
More interceptions
Meanwhile, Babafemi said that NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) on Friday, May 16, intercepted 250 grams of cocaine at a courier company in Lagos.
He said that the drugs, which were concealed in female headgear, were going to Australia.
- In Niger state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Mokwa-Jebba road on Thursday May 15, intercepted a Toyota Carina car marked AGL 945 BK conveying 316 blocks of skunk weighing 143kg while a suspect, Idris Kamal, 35, was arrested.
- Same day, operatives on patrol at Chachi junction along Kaduna road arrested Emmanuel Hassan, 26, with 14.3kg Loud. A swift follow-up operation led to the arrest of the actual owner of the consignment, Bello Aliyu (alias Liti), 39.
- Babafemi also pointed out that in Taraba state, 5,350 pills of tramadol and diazepam were recovered from a suspect, Shafiu Ismail, 22, when he was arrested on Thursday, May 15 at Sabonlayin, Jalingo LGA, while Tijjani Mohammed, 35, was nabbed with 198kg skunk at Malamawa, Garki LGA, Jigawa state same day.
Reacting, the NDLEA Chairman, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (retired) commended the officers and men of DOGI, PHIPC, and Apapa, commands of the agency, for the arrests and seizures of the past week.
Marwa also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts
