The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its nationwide campaign against drug trafficking, leading to the interception of a large consignment of opioids in Taraba State and the arrest of several suspected traffickers, including a 75-year-old man in Ebonyi State and four female drug dealers across Edo, Imo, Kano, and Gombe states.

According to the agency, operatives acting on intelligence intercepted a truck transporting building materials from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Jalingo, Taraba State, on June 6, 2026. A search conducted at Nukkai Timber Shade in Jalingo uncovered a substantial cache of illicit drugs concealed beneath the cargo. A 22-year-old suspect, Buhari Abdullahi, was arrested in connection with the shipment.

Recovered items included 320,840 capsules of tramadol, 600 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 4,500 rohypnol tablets, and 299 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup.

In Ebonyi State, NDLEA operatives arrested 75-year-old Okebe Samuel in Okposi after allegedly finding 300 grams of skunk in his possession. Investigators said the suspect was involved in retail distribution of the substance within his community.

In Imo State, a raid on a known drug hub in Umulolo, Orlu, led to the arrest of 32-year-old Chioma Okeke and the recovery of eight kilograms of skunk.

Meanwhile, in Edo State, a series of operations across drug hotspots in Benin City resulted in the arrest of four suspected traffickers, including three women. Suspects identified as Chioma Igba, 24, and Precious Ozomah, 22, were apprehended in Uyosa with quantities of skunk, Loud, and methamphetamine. Another suspect, Anita Abraham, 21, was arrested along Agbor Road with different variants of cannabis products, while Henry Okey, 43, was arrested at Upper Mission with a range of suspected psychotropic substances.

In Kano State, operatives arrested 19-year-old Saifullahi Lawan in the Kafi area of Madobi and recovered 40 blocks of skunk weighing approximately 38 kilograms.

Similarly, NDLEA personnel in Gombe State apprehended 28-year-old Ugwu Sabastine Ifebuchi near Dantiti Plaza in the Tumfure area with 15,000 capsules of tramadol.

Beyond enforcement operations, the agency said its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign continued across the country, with sensitisation programmes conducted in schools in Oyo, Lagos, Anambra, and Kano states, among others.

Reacting to the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers across the affected states for their vigilance and professionalism. He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to disrupting drug trafficking networks nationwide while sustaining public awareness efforts aimed at reducing drug abuse.