Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted a large consignment of Canadian Loud, a potent synthetic strain of cannabis, packaged in 324 bags weighing 111.2 kilograms in the Onikan area of Lagos Island. This occurred while being transported in an unregistered Grand Caravan vehicle by a 42-year-old suspect, Taofeek Yusuf.

Taofeek's arrest and the seizure of the consignment on Friday, January 12, 2024, followed credible intelligence. This was preceded by the arrest of another drug trafficking suspect, Godwin ThankGod, on Thursday, January 11, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos. Godwin, bound for Milan, Italy, was intercepted trying to board a Royal Air Maroc flight with codeine-based syrup and rohypnol concealed in his luggage.

The arrest of the suspect, a frequent flyer, occurred during a luggage search at the Departure Gate of Terminal 2. The search revealed five cartons containing 50 bottles of codeine syrup and 300 tablets of rohypnol.

Additionally, NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO import shed recovered 30,000 packs of tramadol (225mg), totaling 300,000 pills, on January 12. This consignment arrived from Karachi, Pakistan, on KLM Royal Dutch Airline. It was taken into custody after a joint examination with other security agencies at the airport.

Moreover, on January 9, NDLEA operatives intercepted tramadol and cannabis sativa concealed in sports canvas shoes heading to Oman. Another consignment of tramadol and rohypnol hidden in spices, destined for the United Kingdom, was intercepted at two courier firms in Lagos by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation (DOGI).

In Oyo state on January 11, a clandestine skuchies factory operated by Oyadeji Dimeji was raided, resulting in the recovery of 76.6kg of cannabis sativa, 134 grams of tramadol, 93 grams of rohypnol, and 50 litres of already produced skuchies.

In Ondo state on January 12, four suspects were arrested at De Rock View Hotel, Gadson Junction, with 524.5kg of cannabis. Another suspect, Aniekeme Eyibio, was nabbed at Ala forest, with 293.5kg of the same psychoactive substance and a Dane gun.

In Edo state, Franklin Eze was arrested on January 11 with 454 blocks of cannabis weighing 311kg. Abdullahi Shuaibu was apprehended on January 9 in Kogi state with 43 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 22kg and three pinches of methamphetamine.

In Katsina state, Danladi Adamu was nabbed on January 10 with 25.5kg of cannabis sativa during a buy and bust operation at Kurmi Primary School in Malumfashi metropolis. Operatives in Gombe arrested Sulaiman Mohammed with 47 blocks of the same substance weighing 30kg concealed in two sacks of groundnut at Lapandimtai, Kaltungo.

The War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign continued nationwide, including sensitization lectures and advocacy visits to various institutions. Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, commended the officers and men for their efforts, urging them to maintain the offensive action tempo while emphasizing the importance of drug demand reduction efforts.