In a sweeping offensive against Nigeria’s growing narcotics crisis, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a notorious drug trafficker accused of supplying illicit substances to armed bandits, alongside at least nine other suspects across the country. The arrest underscores the agency’s intensified crackdown on criminal networks fueling insecurity through the illegal drug trade.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, a 22-year-old suspect, Muhammad Mohammed, was arrested along the Bichi-Kano Road while attempting to transport 277 ampoules of pentazocine injection to Katsina, a region notorious for banditry. The drugs were tightly bound to his thigh and private parts using Sellotape, a method often employed by traffickers to evade detection.
Pentazocine is a potent opioid analgesic frequently abused for its euphoric effects. Its increasing use among criminal groups has raised red flags among security and health authorities alike. “This arrest is significant because it directly connects the supply of narcotics with armed bandit groups who are already destabilizing many parts of the North,” Babafemi stated.
In another major operation on the same day, NDLEA operatives in Kano apprehended Mohammed Abdulrahman Abdulaziz, 43, in the Nasarawa area with 68 blocks of skunk cannabis weighing approximately 30kg. The suspect was found in possession of the illegal substances concealed within his residence.
Elsewhere, in Bayelsa State, the NDLEA uncovered a drug hideout on Major General Isaiah Allison Street, Opolo, Yenagoa, where 557.2kg of skunk, 5.6kg of methamphetamine, and nearly 30 grammes of heroin were recovered. Four individuals—Sarimiye Suwa Kurtis (46), Roland Prosper (34), Sarimiye Tare Paul (45), and Fidelis Ugbesla (46)—were arrested during the raid.
The agency also reported a major seizure in Lagos where a delivery van was found with 1,100kg of skunk. A driver connected to the transportation was arrested, further highlighting how commercial vehicles are increasingly being exploited for drug distribution.
In Kaduna, NDLEA arrested one Ike Ani with a staggering 31,950 pills of Tramadol and Diazepam, potent sedatives often misused as recreational drugs or performance enhancers by criminal groups. Meanwhile, in Kebbi State, 97kg of skunk concealed in sacks of charcoal was seized, leading to the arrest of three men—Abubakar Ibrahim (50), Mustapha Aliyu (32), and Bashar Lawali (28).
Anambra and Osun states were not left out. A 48-year-old man, Okafor Marcel, was caught with 11.5kg of skunk in Abatete, Anambra. In Osogbo, Osun, 27-year-old Ajala Mercy was nabbed with 43 litres of “skushi”—a dangerous local cocktail of blackcurrant juice, cannabis, and opioids—during a raid at Dada Estate.
The fight extended to Edo State, where NDLEA operatives destroyed two expansive cannabis farms in the Egbeta Forest, Ovia North East Local Government Area. The farms covered approximately 1.49 hectares and contained 3,717.8kg of psychoactive cannabis plants. Another 136.5kg of processed cannabis was seized from the same area.
In a follow-up operation at the Tincan Seaport in Lagos, a long-wanted suspect, Basorun Usman Kayode, was finally arrested. Kayode had been on the run for two years after being linked to a 2023 seizure of 107kg of Loud, a highly potent strain of cannabis imported from Canada. Another suspect, Dauda Yakubu, who was distributing drugs within the seaport community, was also arrested.
Highlighting the increasingly sophisticated tactics used by drug traffickers, Babafemi disclosed the interception of 500 grammes of cocaine concealed in the pages of religious books at a courier facility in Lagos. The drugs were bound for Saudi Arabia. That same day, 2.8kg of Loud cannabis shipped from the United States was also seized.
These developments come amid growing concerns about the intersection of drug abuse and criminality in Nigeria, particularly in regions plagued by insurgency and banditry. Narcotics are believed to embolden criminal actors, making them more dangerous and unpredictable.
The NDLEA has reiterated its commitment to tracking and dismantling drug cartels operating within Nigeria and abroad. “Our operatives remain vigilant, and we are scaling up intelligence-driven operations to identify both small-time peddlers and kingpins who serve as the backbone of these criminal syndicates,” Babafemi emphasized.
As insecurity and drug abuse continue to pose dual threats to Nigeria’s development, security experts have lauded NDLEA’s efforts while calling for increased inter-agency collaboration, stricter border controls, and public awareness campaigns to stem the tide.