Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have seized over 700,000 tramadol pills and other illicit drugs across Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, and several other states in a series of coordinated operations.
The development was disclosed in a statement signed by Femi Babafemi and released on Sunday, March 22.
The agency said the seizures were made across multiple states within the past week, highlighting a nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking networks.
What they are saying
The NDLEA said it had foiled multiple attempts by drug trafficking organisations to smuggle illicit substances locally and internationally, while also intercepting large quantities within the country.
- “Desperate attempts by members of Drug Trafficking Organisations (DTOs) to move consignments of illicit substances… have been foiled by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA),” the statement read.
The agency noted that the operations, carried out over the past week, led to several arrests, interceptions at airports, highways, and courier firms, as well as the recovery of opioids, cannabis, and methamphetamine.
It also quoted the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, as commending officers across commands for their efforts while urging them to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control through enforcement and sensitisation.
More insights
The operations spanned multiple states and involved a combination of intelligence-led raids, airport interceptions, and highway patrols targeting drug trafficking routes and networks.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, operatives intercepted passengers attempting to smuggle opioids to Europe. One suspect was caught with 2,698 tramadol pills hidden in body cream containers, while another was found with 28,470 opioid pills concealed in winter jackets.
In Lagos, NDLEA officers also intercepted drug shipments at a courier firm, including one kilogram of a potent cannabis strain known as “Loud” shipped from the United States, as well as 158 grams of methamphetamine concealed in carton walls destined for New Zealand.
- Further raids in the state led to the recovery of 21,737 bottles of codeine syrup in Ijora, while two suspects were arrested on the Third Mainland Bridge with an additional 8,380 bottles.
- In Kano, two suspects were arrested with a combined 198kg of skunk, while in Edo State, 97.5kg of the same substance was recovered from a residential property.
- In the Federal Capital Territory, operatives intercepted a commercial bus along the Gwagwalada expressway, recovering 91,840 tramadol pills hidden within the vehicle’s compartments.
- In Oyo State, a suspect was arrested with 71.2kg of skunk smuggled through a river route from the Benin Republic, highlighting cross-border trafficking concerns.
- Meanwhile, in Kaduna, NDLEA operatives seized 586,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5 from a suspect along the Kaduna-Zaria highway, alongside an additional 7,290 tablets recovered at the same location days later.
In Taraba, a suspect was intercepted with 77,660 capsules of tramadol en route to Gombe, while in Adamawa, six suspects were arrested in connection with 82.8kg of tramadol concealed in a truck.
What you should know
The NDLEA, alongside agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has intensified efforts to combat the growing threat of illicit drug trafficking across Nigeria.
- On March 18, Nairametrics reported that ten Filipino sailors aboard the vessel MV Nord Bosporus were convicted and fined $6 million and N1.1 million by a Federal High Court in Lagos for importing cocaine through the Apapa seaport.
- While recent NDLEA seizures occurred across multiple states, Apapa Port in Lagos has increasingly become a focal point for smuggling activities.
- In a March 17 report, the NCS announced the seizure of 3,398 cartons of codeine syrup valued at N3.39 billion at the port. Earlier, the agency also intercepted 13 containers carrying expired drugs, food items, and restricted security equipment worth N6.38 billion.
- In addition, NDLEA operatives had previously dismantled a major opioid cartel in Lagos, recovering drugs worth about N6.7 billion during a sting operation in Isolo in November 2025.
These developments underscore the scale of drug trafficking networks operating within and across Nigeria’s borders, as enforcement agencies continue to ramp up efforts to curb the menace.
