Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted illicit drug consignments valued at over ₦3.428 billion in coordinated operations across Lagos and Rivers States.
The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the seizures in a statement issued on Sunday, revealing that the confiscated drugs included a staggering 3.5 million pills of opioids and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup.
According to the statement, a joint operation by NDLEA and Nigeria Customs Service officers on April 29 led to the interception of the codeine-laden container at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State. The container had been under surveillance prior to the operation.
On the same day, NDLEA operatives recovered 1.5 million pills of a controlled opioid from a suspect identified as Olarenwaju Wahab in the Alaba-Rago area of Ojo, Lagos. Further investigations traced the origin of the consignment to a residence at Q104B, Road 25, Victoria Garden City, Lekki, belonging to one Obinna Kenneth, who is currently on the run.
In another major bust, anti-narcotics officers intercepted 42 parcels of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, at the import shed of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos. The 20kg of cannabis was cleverly concealed in tins labeled as chocolate, milo beverage, and various types of kidney beans. The packages were part of a cargo shipment that arrived on a British Airways flight from Canada.
Babafemi confirmed that the agency has also intensified operations in other parts of the country, targeting drug traffickers and dismantling their networks.
The NDLEA has reiterated its commitment to combating drug trafficking and substance abuse, urging the public to support the agency’s efforts through credible information and community engagement.
