Consignments of opioids concealed in shoe soles and hair attachments, destined for the United States, United Kingdom, and Cyprus, have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos, and three courier companies in the state.

A total of 2,118 tramadol pills concealed in the soles of 13 pairs of shoes bound for Cyprus were seized at the Lagos airport's export shed on October 12, 2024, and an additional 380 tablets were recovered from the home of the sender, Okenwa Kelvin Uchenna, during a follow-up operation in Enugu on Thursday, October 24. Cash amounting to N968,880 and a Toyota Avalon car with the license plate UWN 389 AS were also recovered from the suspect at the time of his arrest.

At least 293 ampoules of promethazine and pentazocine injections, as well as 1.690 kg of cannabis and tramadol tablets concealed in hair attachments and shoe soles destined for the United States, United Kingdom, and Oman, were intercepted by NDLEA officers from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) in Lagos on Thursday, October 24.

In the same vein, NDLEA operatives intercepted a total of 26,250,000 tramadol pills and 508,400 bottles of codeine-based syrup, valued at N16,683,800,000 in street value, during a 100 percent joint examination of watch-listed containers with Customs Service officials and other security agencies at the Tincan port in Lagos and Port Harcourt port, Onne, Rivers State, between Tuesday, October 22, and Wednesday, October 23.

Other illicit consignments intercepted during the joint inspection of the containers included 10 million Toradol and Benzhexol tablets and 28 plastic drums of methamphetamine weighing 700 kg at Tincan and Onne, respectively. Additionally, 56 parcels of "Loud," a synthetic cannabis strain weighing 28 kg, were recovered from a container that arrived at the Lagos port from Canada. A suspect, Tsolaye Eburajolo, 40, was arrested in the Ago Palace area of Okota, Lagos, in connection with the cannabis seizure, while a bribe of N10 million offered to NDLEA officers to release the suspect has been retained as evidence for prosecution.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Lagos on Friday, October 25, raided the Igbo-Igunuko shrine, located at Alfa Beach, Ajah, where jumbo bags of Ghanaian Loud, a cannabis strain, weighing 2,760 kg were recovered, and two suspects, Gbenga Abiodun and Sunday Abiodun, were arrested. Another suspect, Ademola Oyelakin, was also arrested on the same day with 770 kg of the same psychoactive substance along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

A total of 11,786 pills of tramadol, molly, rohypnol, and diazepam, as well as 64 bottles of codeine syrup, were recovered from an underground storage dug by a suspect, Muhammad Warnos Abdullahi, in his bedroom at Marwa Coastal Road, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, when NDLEA officers raided his home on Friday, October 25. The suspect had concealed the drugs deep in his room, covered by a padlocked iron slate, a rug, and a mattress to avoid detection.

In Plateau, a suspect, Fadan Bindom, 39, was arrested in Pilgani village in possession of 65.85 kg of cannabis and 18 grams of tramadol, while another suspect, Sunday Agbata, 42, was nabbed in Pavwei-Rayfield, Jos South LGA, with 5,830 tablets and ampoules of bromazepam, diazepam, and pentazocine injections on Wednesday, October 23.

A major distributor of illicit drugs in the FCT, Abuja, Umar Muhammed, 40, was apprehended on Monday, October 21, following the earlier seizure of a consignment of 198.5 kg of cannabis linked to him at Wuse market park.

In Edo State, NDLEA operatives recovered 640 kg of cannabis concealed in 80 jumbo bags of fresh vegetables at Ewu Junction, Irrua, Esan Central LGA, and arrested a suspect, Austin Oruamen, 27. Another suspect, Adereti Kazeem, 35, was apprehended with 200 blocks of cannabis weighing 133 kg at Obalayan, Ile-Ife, Osun State, on Thursday, October 24.

With the same vigor, Commands and formations of the Agency nationwide continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities in the past week. These included WADA sensitization lectures for students and staff of Government Girls Secondary School, Tambuwal, Sokoto; St. Mary College, Awka, Anambra State; Prime Rose Model Private College, Saki, Oyo State; Community Model Arabic College, Malumfashi, Katsina State; Community Junior Secondary School, Rumuomasi, Rivers State; and a WADA advocacy lecture at Rugar Alhaji Manu Unguwan Sullubawa, Gombi, Adamawa State, among others.

While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Tincan, PHPC, Lagos, FCT, Osun, Plateau, and Edo Commands of the Agency, as well as those of DOGI, for the arrests and seizures, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and the balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are highly appreciated.