Drug Trafficking

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted over two million pills of tramadol and arrested multiple suspects in a sweeping operation across Kano, Jigawa, and the Seme border.

In Jigawa, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence intercepted a Toyota Sienna vehicle along Kano-Ringim road, Gumel town, in the early hours of Wednesday, April 23.

Two suspects, Abba Ibrahim, 28, and Shuaibu Umar, 29, were arrested with 200,000 pills of tramadol and 217,500 capsules of pregabalin. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the main supplier, Jamilu Muhammad, 41, in Kano. 

An additional 1,584,000 tramadol pills were found hidden in a Nissan bus and his residence, bringing the total haul to 2,001,500 pills.

Meanwhile, at the Seme border in Lagos, three Ghanaian women — Haziza Zubairu, 42; Samirat Mustapha, 43; and Jamila Salifu, 26 — were apprehended on Sunday, April 20, while attempting to smuggle 4.8 kilograms of “Ghana Loud,” a potent cannabis strain, into Nigeria.

In other operations, NDLEA officers uncovered 46 wraps of cocaine concealed in body cream heading to Saudi Arabia, seized drugs destined for Canada, and arrested a 60-year-old woman with 5.6 kilograms of skunk in Kano.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, praised the successful interdictions and the ongoing nationwide advocacy efforts under the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has raided an 80-room hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, recovering illicit drugs valued at over one billion naira.

During the operation conducted between Friday, April 25 and Saturday, April 26, 2025, operatives combed through The Hook Hotel, also known as Caesar Hotel and Caesar Lounge, located at 16 Waziri Ibrahim Street, off Elsie Femi Pearse Street, Victoria Island. 

The operatives also recovered 589 bags of Canadian Loud — a potent strain of cannabis — weighing a total of 417.3 kilograms and valued at ₦1,042,500,000 in street price.

Three suspects — Eze Ayitu, Ofuokwu Samuel, and Emmanuel Ameh — were arrested during the operation, while two others, identified as Noble Philip and his partner Kenneth, are currently at large.

Items suspected to be proceeds from the drug trade, including five vehicles (Toyota Prado, Land Cruiser, Jeep, Toyota Sienna, Volkswagen Delivery Van, Kia Cerato, and a Grand Caravan Dodge), 74 new TV sets, 10 used TVs, and 13 refrigerators, were also recovered from the premises.

The chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the operatives for the successful operation and urged them to sustain the momentum in the ongoing War Against Drug Abuse (WADA).

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) of South Korea has officially commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of Nigeria for its pivotal role in the apprehension of Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff, a wanted drug baron. Jeff, 59, had eluded authorities for 17 years while orchestrating the shipment of illicit drugs valued at billions of naira across the globe.

His arrest by NDLEA operatives in Lagos on February 12, 2025, marks a significant victory in a long-standing investigation that had troubled South Korean authorities. Jeff was identified as a key figure in an international drug network responsible for smuggling narcotics into South Korea. An Interpol red notice had been issued against him, and the NIS sought the NDLEA’s assistance in locating and apprehending him.

Following his arrest, a delegation from the NIS, led by Director Taeyong Cho, visited NDLEA Chairman Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) on April 16, 2025, to express their gratitude. In a letter, Cho praised the NDLEA’s exemplary cooperation, stating, “Without the NDLEA’s invaluable support, our long-standing efforts to bring Kevin Jeff to justice might have been in vain.”

The NIS also requested Jeff’s extradition to South Korea to face pending drug charges. Marwa assured the delegation of Nigeria’s commitment to combating drug trafficking, emphasizing, “You can count on us to work together toward a drug-free world.” He expressed hope for enhanced collaboration between the two agencies, including potential training opportunities for NDLEA officers in South Korea.

This successful operation underscores the importance of international cooperation in the fight against drug-related crimes and highlights Nigeria’s role in global drug enforcement efforts.

By Uzair Adam 

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its efforts to combat drug trafficking, intercepting various consignments of illicit drugs and arresting several suspects in multiple states.  

The agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement on Sunday in Abuja that a 42-year-old building engineer was apprehended on December 2 at Okeyson Motor Park, Enugu, while attempting to collect three pressure machines from South Africa. 

Hidden inside the machines were 7.40kg of Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain.  

The shipment had initially arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on November 29 and was tracked by NDLEA operatives to a logistics company warehouse. 

However, the point of collection was later changed to Enugu, leading to the suspect’s arrest during a follow-up operation.  

In another operation, NDLEA operatives in Adamawa intercepted a Siena vehicle abandoned by its occupants after noticing the agency’s patrol team on Hildi-Askira Uba Road. 

The vehicle contained 511,000 tramadol pills, which were recovered early on December 6.  

Similarly, in Ekiti State, two suspects were arrested along the Ise-Emure Road while transporting 108 jumbo bags of cannabis, weighing 1,323kg, in a J5 bus. 

The suspects reportedly planned to deliver the consignment to Ondo State for distribution in the North.  

In Oyo State, operatives seized 704kg of cannabis on December 6 at Idere Road, Igboora, while in Lagos, a 65-year-old grandmother was apprehended on December 6 at Odunfa Street, Lagos Island, with 20.6 litres of codeine-based syrup. 

Another man was arrested on Ogundana Street, Ikeja, with 4.7kg of cannabis and 1.3kg of tramadol.  

The NDLEA has also sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, conducting sensitization lectures in schools, workplaces, and communities across the country. 

Among the institutions visited were Government Girls College, Maiduguri, and Progressive Secondary School, Ado Awaye.  

NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retired) commended the agency’s operatives and lauded their efforts in drug supply and demand reduction, describing their achievements as vital to the agency’s mission to safeguard public health and safety.

By Uzair Adam 

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made significant strides in its ongoing war against drug trafficking, intercepting a total of N22.7 billion worth of opioids at three major seaports. 

In a separate incident, operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, arrested Oguejiofor Nnaemeka Simonpeter, a Thailand returnee, for attempting to smuggle heroin valued at over N3.1 billion.

Oguejiofor, a 29-year-old graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University in Anambra State, was apprehended on October 7, 2024, while trying to exit the airport with the illicit drug hidden in six backpacks packed inside two large suitcases. 

The heroin, weighing 13.30 kilograms, was carefully sewn into the backpacks. 

According to a statement by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media & Advocacy, Oguejiofor had travelled from Thailand to Lagos via Qatar Airways, stopping over in Doha. 

Upon arriving in Lagos, he requested his luggage, which was initially routed to Accra, Ghana, to be rerouted back to Nigeria in an attempt to avoid security checks. 

NDLEA officers intercepted the luggage, leading to the discovery of the heroin.

Oguejiofor claimed that he was paid $7,000 to deliver the drugs, with two parcels intended for Lagos and the remaining four for Accra.

In related operations, NDLEA officers at the Lekki Deep Seaport, Apapa Seaport in Lagos, and the Port Harcourt Port Complex seized a large quantity of opioids, including 32.6 million tramadol pills and over 1.4 million bottles of codeine-based syrup. 

These drugs were estimated to be worth N22.7 billion in total.

Meanwhile, operatives in Anambra State also arrested a suspect with 50,000 tramadol tablets, and in Edo State, NDLEA officers recovered 1,050 kilograms of cannabis during a raid at a transit point.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal by suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari, seeking to quash the charge against him regarding an alleged unlawful drug deal.

The three-member panel of the appellate court found Kyari’s appeal to be unmeritorious and affirmed the findings and conclusions reached by the Federal High Court.

Kyari had challenged the jurisdiction of the court to try him and four other serving police personnel, arguing that they had not been subjected to internal disciplinary mechanisms of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

However, the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal have held that the Federal High Court has the exclusive right and jurisdiction to hear drug-related cases, as enshrined in the Constitution and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act.

Kyari and four members of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) are charged with conspiracy to deal in 17.55kg of cocaine, dealing in cocaine without lawful authority, conspiracy to tamper with cocaine, and unlawfully tampering with the 21.35kg of cocaine seized from two convicted drug dealers. The trial will continue at the Federal High Court.

The Court of Appeal’s decision was unanimous, with Justices Peter Obiora and Okon Abang agreeing with the lead judgment. Kyari’s appeal was against the March 22 ruling by Justice Emeka Nwite, which declined to quash the charge and dismissed an application filed by Kyari.

The Federal High Court has the exclusive right and jurisdiction to hear drug-related cases, and the powers of the Police Service Commission (PSC) do not supersede the powers of the Federal High Court.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

Freeman Charles Ogbonna, a Delhi, India-bound passenger, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for drug trafficking. 

Ogbonna was arrested on Sunday, March 31, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos after ingesting 80 wraps of cocaine. 

He was taken into custody by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the screening point of Terminal 2 of the airport.

Preliminary checks revealed that Ogbonna was using a Liberian international passport named Carr Bismark. 

However, further investigation revealed his real identity as Freeman Charles Ogbonna. He was subsequently placed under observation in NDLEA custody, where he exhibited discomfort.

Ogbonna eventually vomited and excreted the drugs over four days, passing out a total of 80 wraps of cocaine weighing 889 grams through his mouth and anus. 

He claimed that he was recruited into drug trafficking by one of his relatives and was promised N300,000 if he successfully delivered the consignment in India.

The NDLEA arraigned Ogbonna before Justice Dipeolu Deinde Isaac of the Federal High Court in Lagos on a charge of committing an offence contrary to section 20(1)(b) and punishable under section 20(2)(a) of the NDLEA Act Cap N30 LFN 2004.

In his judgement, Justice Dipeolu sentenced Ogbonna to 25 years in prison without an option of a fine. 

The Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the MMIA Command and the prosecution team for their diligent case handling.

Marwa stated that the judiciary remains a strong pillar in the effort to curb substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria. 

He added that Ogbonna’s conviction would send a strong signal to drug barons and their mules that there would be no hiding place for them.

By Uzair Adam Imam

There was a gun battle between the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and drug traffickers in Lagos that lasted for about thirty minutes on Thursday.

The NDLEA spokesperson, Mr Femi Babafemi, stated this in a statement he issued to journalists on Sunday.

Babafemi added that acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives had laid an ambush on the traffickers along the Eleko Beach road in Lekki and at 4:51 am on Thursday.

He further stated that two long trucks conveying the illicit consignments were flagged down, but rather than stopped, the trucks escorted by armed men sped off, as a result of which there was an exchange of gunfire that lasted 30 minutes

He stated that “After they were overpowered by the NDLEA operatives, the truck drivers and their armed escorts escaped into the bush, abandoning the trucks and the drug consignments.

“While one of the trucks painted red has 149 jumbo bags weighing 6,548kgs, the second one with blue colour has 53 big bags with a weight of 2,304kgd, bringing the total number of bags to 202 and gross weight of both to 8,852kgs.

“Meanwhile, operatives are already on the trail of the drug lord who shipped the illicit consignment into the country,” Babafemi said.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) states that it has seized 100 million pills of the prescription painkiller Tramadol in just 22 months.

The agency estimated the combined value of the cash and illegal narcotics to be about N450 billion. In addition, the agency detained 29 drug lords, while detaining 23,907 drug traffickers.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman of the NDLEA, said this in a statement released on Tuesday through the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

Marwa said the confiscated Tramadol may have had a negative influence on the youth population and the nation’s productivity.

He said this during the Commands’ Awards/Commendations and Decoration of newly promoted officers at the Agency’s National Headquarters, Abuja.

Marwa said, “Within the period under review, the Agency arrested 23, 907 drug traffickers including 29 barons.

“Our seizure was over 5,500 tons or 5.5 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs, which together with cash seized are worth over N450 billion.

“In the same period, we have taken the fight to the doorsteps of cannabis growers by destroying 772. 5 hectares of cannabis farms. In these 22 months, we have record convictions of 3, 434 offenders. We have equally made good strides in our drug demand reduction efforts where the number of those counselled and rehabilitated is 16, 114.

“The figures are mere statistics until you view them through the lens of human impact and the good or harm that could have come to society, the impact on public health, security as well as law and order if those dangerous drugs had gone to the street. Take, for instance, the one hundred million pills of tramadol seized in the past 22 months.

“If those pills had gone into circulation and ended up in the hands of young people, it would take a heavy toll on lives, families, productivity and, ultimately, the GDP of the country because it will affect these young people who are the engine room of productivity.

“We usually calculate our performance as monthly, quarterly or yearly appraisals. But drug law enforcement is generally a continuum, hence, I am wont to always appraise our efforts from January 2021, when we began far-reaching reforms, reviewed our strategies and rejigged the existing systems to accommodate innovations.

“From then till now, we have been on an upward trajectory. And indeed, what we have done in the last 22 months, from January 2021 to October 2022, based on the available statistics, is cause for celebration.”