The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its nationwide crackdown on illicit drug production and trafficking, with the arrest of a suspected drug kingpin operating a Colorado synthetic cannabis laboratory in Oyo State, alongside multiple high-value seizures across several states.
This is according to a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
He confirmed that operatives dismantled the illegal facility located in Badeku, Ibadan, and arrested the principal suspect along with an accomplice on Saturday, February 7, 2026.
What they are saying
According to the agency, officers recovered eight litres of precursor chemicals used in the production of synthetic cannabis, 14 grammes of skunk, and various Colorado production paraphernalia from the site.
- Also seized were N7.4 million in cash and two vehicles, a Mercedes-Benz SUV and a Toyota Highlander, suspected to be proceeds of drug trafficking.
- Beyond Oyo State, the NDLEA recorded significant interceptions across the country. In Kwara State, operatives intercepted a petrol tanker travelling from Lagos to Maiduguri. A thorough search of the vehicle uncovered 395,400 capsules of tramadol concealed within the truck, leading to the arrest of the driver.
In the South-East, a husband and wife were arrested in Imo State with 203 kilograms of skunk, while another 420 kilograms of the same substance was recovered during an operation in Ondo State. The agency said the seizures reflect growing efforts by traffickers to move large quantities of cannabis across regional routes.
- Meanwhile, NDLEA’s Marine Command seized 31 wraps of cocaine concealed in a handbag at Yekeme, Badagry, Lagos State. The suspect, according to Babafemi, arrived from Côte d’Ivoire via a passenger boat on Friday, highlighting the continued use of waterways for cross-border drug smuggling.
Further operations in Lagos led to the arrest of a suspect on February 4 at Lagos Island with 3.6 kilograms of Canadian Loud and Colorado, two high-grade synthetic cannabis variants. In Enugu State, NDLEA operatives arrested a dealer at Asata, Ezeagu, recovering quantities of skunk, methamphetamine, cocaine, molly, and N457,700 in cash.
Backstory
The latest bust in Oyo State adds to a sustained surge in NDLEA enforcement activities across the state and beyond. Between January and August 2025, the NDLEA Oyo State Command arrested 280 suspects and secured 43 convictions for offences related to the trafficking, distribution, and use of illicit drugs.
The arrests, according to the state commander, Mr. Olayinka Joe-Fadile, cut across traffickers, street-level dealers, and drug users.
Joe-Fadile disclosed the figures during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan, noting that enforcement efforts had been scaled up in response to rising drug abuse and organized trafficking networks.
Beyond domestic operations, the NDLEA has also flagged growing concerns around cross-border drug trafficking. In January 2026, the agency arrested a 37-year-old businessman, Ani Onyebuchi Romans, for attempting to traffic 5.3 kilograms of tramadol to Cameroon.
The opioids were ingeniously concealed inside full-body mannequins, highlighting increasingly sophisticated smuggling techniques used to evade law enforcement.
The arrest, disclosed in a statement by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, reinforced concerns over Nigeria’s role as both a transit and source country in regional opioid trafficking routes.
What You Should Know
The NDLEA has significantly expanded intelligence-led operations targeting both local drug labs and international trafficking syndicates.
- In September 2025, the agency dismantled an international organised criminal group (IOCG) operating across Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates.
- During the operation, NDLEA operatives arrested three key leaders of the syndicate in Lagos after intercepting a cocaine shipment valued at N5.3 billion.
- The drugs were concealed within textile materials and local charms, a tactic authorities say reflects the evolving methods of global drug networks.
The two-week operation, coordinated across multiple locations in Lagos, was described by the NDLEA as one of its most complex intelligence-driven interventions in 2025.
According to the agency, proceeds from illicit drug trade increasingly fund other criminal activities, posing broader risks to economic stability, public health, and national security.
