The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking across Nigeria, arresting a Chinese businessman and an 80-year-old grandmother among others, and seizing a wide range of illicit drugs cleverly concealed in food items and luggage during coordinated operations in multiple states.

In Lagos, operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Friday, 25 July 2025, arrested Chinese national Liang Tak You upon arrival from Bangkok via Dubai. Liang, a naturalized Malaysian, was found in possession of two suitcases containing 50 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, weighing 26.1kg. The drugs were traced to Thailand, where he had picked up the luggage before heading to Nigeria.

Meanwhile, in Calabar, Cross River State, 80-year-old Mrs. Grace Ekpeme was arrested on Edet-Nsa Street with over 3kg of skunk following credible intelligence on her involvement in the local drug trade.

Also in Lagos, on 23 July, NDLEA officers intercepted Chidi Agbafo along the Epe-Ajah expressway in a commercial bus. He was caught with 21.7kg of Colorado, some of which was hidden in moimoi sachets, and 3.8 litres of codeine syrup, which he was transporting to Delta State.

A major bust at the Apapa Seaport saw the interception of 101kg of Canadian Loud, packed in 202 tins of imported food labeled “Bean Salad Mix.” The drugs were hidden inside two Toyota Sienna vehicles inside a container from Canada, discovered during a joint operation involving NDLEA and Customs officials.

Across the country, more seizures followed:

Abuja-Kaduna Highway: NDLEA operatives recovered 71,000 pills of opioids from Usman Musa on a commercial bus bound for Kano.

Borno State: A woman, Binta Usman, was arrested with 30.1kg of skunk, leading to a follow-up arrest of her accomplice Bala Abdullahi in Maiduguri.

Ondo State: Three brothers—Nanna, Chizom, and Maxwell Ozirinye—were arrested during a raid on a cannabis farm where 2,500kg of skunk was destroyed and 121.4kg processed.

Edo State: A raid in Benin’s Asakpa community led to the arrest of Bright Sunday Okon, 26, with quantities of Colorado, Loud, Arizona, skunk, and methamphetamine.

Nasarawa: 105.4kg of skunk was found abandoned in a Honda vehicle in Keffi.

Niger State: Bashir Abdullahi was arrested with 6,400 tramadol pills in Minna.

Ogun State: Notorious drug dealer Jamiu Omolaja was arrested in Ifo with 113kg of skunk after violent resistance by his gang.

Gombe State: Adamu Adamu (a.k.a Dankyado) was caught with 10,910 tramadol capsules along Gombe-Bajoga road.

Kogi State: NDLEA intercepted drugs hidden in garri and dried scent leaves along the Okene-Lokoja highway. A follow-up led to the arrest of Kindness Bala, 27, who planned to smuggle the drugs to Qatar. In a separate operation in Ayingba, officers recovered 23,600 tramadol pills, 300 pentazocine injections, and 700g of skunk from a truck.

In addition to enforcement, NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign through sensitization programs in schools and traditional communities across Oyo, Ebonyi, Sokoto, Lagos, and Anambra States.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the operatives across MMIA, Apapa, and state commands for their coordinated efforts. He praised their balance in addressing both drug supply and demand reduction, calling for continued vigilance and public support.