The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted consignments of high-potency illicit drugs concealed inside water purifier machines shipped from the Netherlands to Lagos, while also seizing more than 1.7 tonnes of narcotics in coordinated operations across Kaduna, Niger, and Enugu states.
The agency disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday May 31, by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
According to the statement, operatives uncovered 3 kilograms of ketamine and 199 grams of MDMA, popularly known as Ecstasy, hidden inside water purifier machines at a courier company in Lagos on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
The seizures formed part of a series of intelligence-led operations conducted nationwide, which also led to the arrest of multiple suspects and the recovery of large quantities of cannabis and other controlled substances.
What they are saying
The agency said the operations underscore its continued efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks and prevent illicit substances from reaching communities across the country.
- In Kaduna State, NDLEA operatives arrested a couple, Musa Sunday and Mercy Sunday, alongside another suspect, Salomi Ezekiel, following the seizure of 100 jumbo bags of skunk weighing 1,246 kilograms from their residence in the Gonin Gora area.
- The agency also disclosed that officers on patrol along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway intercepted a 30-year-old suspect, Sunusi Musa, with 380 rounds of military-grade 7.62mm ammunition allegedly being transported to Katsina State.
According to the NDLEA, the suspect and the ammunition have been transferred to the appropriate security agency for further investigation and action.
While commending officers involved in the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised their efforts in reducing drug supply across the country.
He also urged personnel nationwide to sustain the momentum and intensify both enforcement and public sensitisation campaigns against drug abuse.
More insights
A breakdown of the seizures shows that cannabis, commonly known as skunk, accounted for the largest share of the narcotics recovered during the operations.
- In Kaduna, operatives confiscated 1,246 kilograms of skunk from a residential property linked to three suspects.
- In Niger State, acting on intelligence, officers raided a warehouse in Gidan Kukah, Bosso Local Government Area, where an additional 457 kilograms of skunk were recovered. A suspect, Godwin Zakka, was subsequently arrested in connection with the seizure.
- Meanwhile, in Enugu State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a commercial vehicle travelling to Taraba State along the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway.
A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 22,000 tramadol pills, 100 ampoules of pentazocine, and 200 grams of bromazepam, while a suspect identified as James Maigari Wisdom was arrested.
Beyond enforcement activities, the agency continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign through sensitisation programmes conducted in schools and communities across Cross River, Taraba, Lagos, and Anambra states.
What you should know
The latest seizures are part of a broader crackdown by the NDLEA on drug trafficking networks operating across Nigeria.
- In late April, the agency raided three warehouses in Lagos and recovered opioids valued at N16.9 billion, one of the largest drug busts recorded this year.
- Earlier, on March 29, operatives arrested a 46-year-old suspected drug dealer, Omolade Abigail Jolayemi, popularly known as “Iya Ghana,” and recovered 76.3 kilograms of the cannabis strain known as Ghana Loud.
- Just a week before, the agency announced the seizure of more than 700,000 tramadol pills and other illicit substances during operations conducted in Lagos, Kano and Kaduna states.
The enforcement drive also included the interception of 3,398 cartons of codeine syrup worth N3.39 billion at a Nigerian port in March, while authorities dismantled a major opioid trafficking syndicate in Lagos in November 2025, recovering drugs valued at N6.7 billion.
