NDLEA Busts Multi-State Narcotics Ring, Nabs Engineer, Seizes Millions In Drugs

ENUGU/LAGOS/ADAMAWA/EKITI/OYO, NIGERIA – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a major drug trafficking network in a stunning series of raids across Nigeria, seizing millions of Naira in illicit substances and sending shockwaves through the underworld.

The operation, which spanned multiple states, resulted in the arrest of high-profile suspects, including a supposedly respectable building engineer, as well as the seizure of massive quantities of cannabis, tramadol and codeine syrup.

The dramatic takedown began last Monday with the arrest of 42-year-old Egwu Inya, a self-proclaimed building engineer, at Enugu’s Okeyson Motor Park.

Inya, the unwitting victim of an intricate NDLEA sting operation, had arrived to collect three pressure machines imported from South Africa.

7.4 kilograms of “Loud,” a powerful synthetic cannabis strain, were expertly hidden inside the machinery.

The consignment, originally intended for Lagos, was tracked from its arrival at Murtala Muhammed International Airport on November 29th, 2024, demonstrating the NDLEA’s sophisticated intelligence-gathering capabilities.

Femi Babafemi, the agency’s spokesman, described the operation as evidence of the agency’s commitment to disrupting drug trafficking networks, no matter how sophisticated their methods.

The arrest in Enugu was the tip of the iceberg. In a separate operation last Friday, NDLEA agents patrolling in Adamawa State apprehended a Siena vehicle near Hildi, Askira Uba.

When the officers noticed them, the occupants fled in haste, abandoning their vehicle – and a staggering 511,000 tramadol pills – in the process.

Further investigations uncovered a large cannabis trafficking ring. Two suspects, Olanrewaju Alale (48) and Babatunde Ijadahun (55) were arrested in Ekiti State while transporting 1,323 kilograms of cannabis in a J5 bus.

Their intended destination? The country’s northern region. Meanwhile, in Oyo State, Adekunle Yusuf (33) was apprehended with 704 kilograms of cannabis concealed in white bags.

In Lagos, a 65-year-old grandmother, Ramata Adeyemo, was arrested for allegedly possessing 20.6 litres of codeine-based syrup.

Alhaji Lawan Manga was also apprehended in Ikeja, with 4.7 kilograms of cannabis and 1.3 kilograms of tramadol discovered on his person.

The sheer magnitude of the seizures is concerning. The weight of seized cannabis alone exceeds 2,000 kilograms.

The sheer amount of tramadol and codeine recovered emphasizes the serious threat these drugs pose to public health and national security.

Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), NDLEA Chairman/CEO, praised the operatives’ outstanding work while emphasizing the agency’s ongoing commitment to both supply and demand reduction strategies.

The agency’s ongoing “War Against Drug Abuse (WADA)” campaign continues to target schools, churches, and communities throughout Nigeria.

The arrests send a strong message: Nigeria’s drug war is far from over, and the NDLEA is determined to pursue and prosecute those involved in the illegal narcotics trade, regardless of background or perceived respectability.

The investigation is ongoing, and additional arrests are anticipated.