DRUG SMUGGLING ROUTES TO UK, AUSTRALIA DISRUPTED AS NDLEA EXPANDS NATIONWIDE RAIDS

DRUG SMUGGLING ROUTES TO UK, AUSTRALIA DISRUPTED AS NDLEA EXPANDS NATIONWIDE RAIDS 

By Jennifer Nwosu 

Nigeria’s anti-drug enforcement campaign widened further over the weekend as operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted cocaine and opioid consignments concealed in export packages bound for the United Kingdom and Australia, while simultaneously dismantling large-scale cannabis operations across multiple states.

In a statement released by the Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the agency disclosed that the seizures were made during inspections at a Lagos courier facility, where cocaine and pharmaceutical opioids had been hidden within the walls of cartons containing clothing and other items. The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig General Mohamed Buba Marwa(Rtd), commended officers involved in the operations, describing the arrests and seizures as evidence of the agency’s sustained balance between drug supply reduction and public sensitization efforts.

According to the agency, 170 grams of cocaine packaged in cellophane wraps was recovered from a carton destined for Australia, while another shipment heading to the UK concealed tramadol capsules, pentazocine and promethazine injections. Authorities say the concealment methods reflect the growing sophistication of trafficking syndicates attempting to exploit legitimate export channels.

In Delta State, NDLEA operatives, supported by soldiers, raided cannabis farms in Ukwuani and Ughelli North local government areas, destroying a combined 65,000 kilograms of skunk cultivated across 26 hectares of farmland. The operations also led to the arrests of Ifeanyichukwu Peter and Godwin Vincent Osadera.
Elsewhere, operatives intercepted 1,989 rounds of military-grade ammunition concealed inside bags of garri along the Abuja-Kaduna highway. The suspect, Abdullahi Hassan, has since been transferred to another security agency for further investigation, underscoring concerns over the intersection between illicit trafficking and broader security threats.
In Abuja, authorities arrested Ogadi Peter, accused of producing cannabis-laced cakes and cookies for parties and social gatherings. NDLEA operatives recovered drug-infused baked products alongside skunk during a raid at his residence in the Life Camp area of the Federal Capital Territory.
Additional operations in Kaduna, Ogun, Taraba, Kano, Oyo, and Edo states resulted in further seizures of cannabis, opioids and skuchies; a dangerous drug cocktail increasingly popular among youths. Suspects including Aliyu Sani and Sufiyanu Mohammed Misa were arrested in connection with some of the recoveries.

Alongside enforcement actions, the agency said its' War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign continued in schools and communities nationwide, reflecting NDLEA’s broader strategy of combining interdiction with prevention. For the authorities, their message remains consistent being Nigeria’s anti-drug campaign is no longer confined to isolated raids, but is evolving into a sustained nationwide effort targeting every layer of the illicit supply chain.

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