The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its clampdown on illicit drugs with the arrest of a notorious trafficker in Delta State and the seizure of opioids worth N7.8 billion at the Onne Port in Rivers State.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, noting that the operations were part of coordinated nationwide raids in August.
According to him, operatives arrested 36-year-old Sunday Ibigide, a drug kingpin who had been on the agency’s wanted list for three years, in Asaba, Delta State.
“Ibigide was caught while attempting to move 250 blocks of skunk weighing 138 kilograms with his distribution bus,” Babafemi said.
He explained that the suspect had been on the run since March 19, 2022, when he was linked to the seizure of 24.137kg of the same psychoactive substance and 10 grams of molly.
“After that incident, he went underground. However, following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives in Delta State were able to arrest him along with one of his aides, Clement Osuya, 27, while they were trying to move the 250 parcels of skunk for distribution on Sunday, 10th August 2025,” Babafemi added.
N7.8billion Opioids seized at Onne Port
Babafemi further revealed that the agency intercepted a massive consignment of opioids at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State.
“A total of 875,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth over N6.1 billion in street value and 3.5 million pills of trodol benzhexol valued at N1.7 billion were recovered from five containers,” the NDLEA spokesperson said.
He explained that the operation was carried out under NDLEA’s intelligence tracking and watch-list, during a joint examination with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies.
The seizure took place on Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th August at the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), Onne Port, Babafemi added.
Major raids across states
The NDLEA also reported significant arrests and seizures nationwide within the past week:
Enugu: Six suspects were arrested during raids on three cannabis farms in Enugu Ezike, where 37,500kg of skunk cultivated on 15 hectares was destroyed. Additional seizures included 20,700 tramadol and cocodamol pills from a suspect and 27.6kg skunk from two others in Enugu.
- Lagos: A 52-year-old woman, Muyibat Mumuni, and her son, Faruk Mumuni, 25, were arrested in Mushin with 149kg Ghana Loud. Another suspect was caught in Ajah, Lekki, with 8.5kg Canadian Loud.
- Gombe & Kogi: A suspect in Gombe was found with 128,000 tramadol capsules, while operatives in Kogi seized 337,800 capsules from a commercial bus driver en-route to Niger State.
- Taraba: NDLEA, assisted by local hunters and traditional council members, destroyed 11,250kg of skunk on 4.5 hectares in Tanmiya forest, Sardauna LGA, and arrested another suspect with 29,840 tramadol capsules in Wukari.
- Kaduna & Kano: Four suspects were arrested in connection with 22,640 pills of tramadol and rohypnol, as well as 111.1kg of skunk seized along Zaria–Kano road. Additional arrests included suspects caught with 16kg and 76kg of skunk respectively.
Edo: Operatives recovered 432kg of skunk from a bush in Etsako West LGA and 130kg from a warehouse in Owan West.
Badagry, Lagos: 4,320 ampoules of ketamine injection were seized at Gbaji checkpoint, with one suspect arrested.
