NDLEA Busts Major Drug Rings Across Nigeria, Arrests Fleeing Spare Parts Dealer

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced a series of major drug busts across Nigeria, resulting in numerous arrests and the seizure of significant quantities of cocaine, cannabis, tramadol, codeine, and other illicit substances.

A key arrest involves Levi Ubodoeze, an automobile spare parts dealer, apprehended while attempting to flee the country following a failed cocaine smuggling attempt.

Ubodoeze, who operates in Lagos’s Ladipo market, was the subject of a three-week manhunt after Angolan authorities arrested the intended recipient of a 2kg cocaine shipment concealed in vehicle propellers.

The shipment was intercepted on February 21st at a logistics company in Ojo, Lagos.

A subsequent search of Ubodoeze’s vehicle revealed 75.5kg of phenacetin, a cocaine cutting agent, packaged as semolina, and a digital scale.

Ubodoeze admitted to dealing in cocaine alongside his spare parts business and confessed to attempting to flee after being alerted to the arrest in Angola.

In a separate operation at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), NDLEA operatives intercepted a shipment of cannabis-laced candies arriving from the UK.

The candies were destined for a children’s store in Surulere, Lagos. Adedamola Taylor, the recipient, and Musurat Lawal, who was to receive the candies, were arrested, alongside a freight agent. The shipment was sent by Taylor’s UK-based brother, Babatunde Alabi.

Other significant seizures include:

• 128kg of Ghanaian Loud cannabis: Seized from a commercial truck in Ojo, Lagos, leading to the arrest of China Michael and Igbo Ekene.
• 301,600 pills of tramadol and other opioids: Confiscated in Mushin, Lagos, resulting in the arrest of Osinachi Nwachukwu, Tochukwu Okafor, and John Mbakwe.
  19.2kg of skunk and 212 bottles of codeine syrup: Seized in Kano, leading to the arrests of Yahaya Haruna and Musa Bello respectively.
• 442,594 pills of tramadol and 1,274 bottles of codeine syrup: Recovered from a warehouse in Aba, Abia State, resulting in the arrest of Blessing Okoronkwo.
  50,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5:
• Seized in Benue State, with the arrest of Nwaeze Onyeabor and Tombo Thomas.
  357kg of skunk: Seized in Osun State, resulting in the arrest of Asimiyu Muibi and the recovery of additional cannabis from a vehicle in Ede.
  9,514.625kg of skunk: Destroyed in Edo State after the arrest of Etim Stephen, alongside the eradication of a large cannabis farm.

NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers involved in the various operations, emphasising the agency’s commitment to combating drug abuse through supply reduction and demand reduction strategies.

He praised the balanced approach taken by the agency across the nation.