In a sweeping crackdown on narcotics trafficking, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have made multiple high-profile seizures, including cocaine stashed in lipsticks and property documents, and busted major drug syndicates operating across Nigeria.
In a statement on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi revealed that the agency’s Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted 420 grams of cocaine hidden in 84 lipsticks headed to the United Kingdom, and 280 grams of the same drug concealed inside a property title document (Certificate of Occupancy) bound for Saudi Arabia. The drugs were found at a courier firm in Lagos last Thursday.
In another major breakthrough, NDLEA operatives arrested a notorious drug kingpin, Ajetsibo Emami, popularly known as Warri Kinsman, after a three-day operation in Ikeja, Lagos, that dismantled his drug trafficking network. The raid yielded 24 jumbo bags containing 681 pouches of Canadian Loud, a potent cannabis strain weighing 414.2kg.
Further investigations led to the arrest of Ajah Uchenna, his wife Rosemary, two daughters, and a family associate. They were running a family-run drug cartel in Lagos. Initial arrests were made by the DSS, who handed over 277.5kg of skunk to the NDLEA. A follow-up raid uncovered an additional 231kg of the same substance.
At Murtala Muhammed International Airport, NDLEA intercepted Aburemi Hysent, a frequent flyer to Italy, who attempted to smuggle 7,660 tramadol pills concealed in food packages. He admitted he was offered €800 to deliver the drugs to Italy.
In another bust at the Lagos Airport’s export shed, operatives intercepted 52 suspected counterfeit traveller’s cheques worth 17.7 million Australian dollars, hidden inside children’s books and headed to Malaysia via Istanbul. A freight agent, Bolarinwa Saheed, was arrested and handed over to the EFCC for further investigation.
Across other parts of the country, NDLEA intensified its anti-narcotics war:
At Seme Border, 359kg of skunk was recovered.
Along Okene-Lokoja highway, 10,000 pills of tramadol and 1.05kg of synthetic cannabis (Colorado) were seized.
In Osun State, multiple arrests yielded over 60,000 pills of opioids, pentazocine injections, and codeine syrup. A 9.67-hectare cannabis farm was also destroyed in Oke-Ila Forest, with seven suspects arrested.
In Borno, 167kg of skunk was recovered, and another 452kg in Zaria-Kano, leading to multiple arrests.
Additional operations in Kebbi, Taraba, Edo, and Cross River States resulted in the seizure of large quantities of illicit drugs and the arrest of several suspects—including a 78-year-old man, Mike Abeng, found with 14.49kg of cannabis and tramadol.
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the officers and tasked them to sustain the offensive against drug trafficking across the country.
