NDLEA Foils Drug Smuggling Via Microwaves, Lipsticks, Others

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), has confirmed the arrest of 19 suspects across Lagos, Edo, Borno, Gombe, Kogi, Kaduna, Taraba, and Kano states in seven days ending Saturday, July 12, 2025.

During a series of coordinated anti-narcotics operations, operatives confiscated multiple illicit drug consignments and retrieved cash from suspects, including a total of N4.9m and $20 in Lagos and Borno states.

Also, 704,116 drug pills ranging from cannabis (skunk and Ghana Loud) to cocaine, methamphetamine, tramadol, rohypnol, phenacetine, D-5, and pentazocine weighing over 29,448.618 kilograms were seized.

The intercepted drug consignments were concealed using unconventional smuggling models — including microwaves imported from Thailand, factory-fitted lipstick containers heading to Guinea, a petrol tanker’s tyre compartment, and food delivery vans.

Some drugs were recovered at export sheds, bush farms, courier facilities, and highway checkpoints, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi disclosed on Sunday.

In Lagos, on Monday, July 7, NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport intercepted 23 parcels of loud cannabis weighing 11.3kg.

The parcels were tucked inside “new microwave ovens flown in from Bangkok and one suspect, Ezenwegbu Chike, was apprehended”.

The following day, July 8, over 28 tonnes of cannabis cultivated on 11 hectares in Ewere Uzebba forest, Owan West LGA, Edo State, were destroyed and an additional 82kg of processed cannabis was recovered.

He said, “Armed attackers ambushed the team as they exited the area, but operatives returned fire and escaped unhurt”.

Still in Edo on the same date, officers continued sweeping bush farms and forested areas for illicit cannabis crops.

“Between July 8 and 12, NDLEA personnel in Gombe arrested Hafiz Bello (22), Isah Suleman (48), Kabiru Muhammed (30), Abdullahi Adamu (30), and Abel Murna (25).

“The team recovered 116,226 pills of tramadol and D-5 from Gombe Market and the Gombe–Kano Road axis” he said.

The agency said Wednesday, July 9, marked a breakthrough in Lagos as NDLEA’s Special Operations Unit captured Okechukwu Izugha, a wanted drug kingpin, at his wife’s shop in Ijesha Market.

Izugha had gone into hiding after Obiora Joseph Agudosi was caught in August 2024 with 9kg of cocaine linked to him as his wife, Maureen Izugha, is already serving a two-year sentence following her arrest in January with 500g of cocaine.

Same day in Kano state NDLEA arrested Shamsudini Abdullahi (35), Adamu Abdullahi (21), and Magaji Rabo (26) with 48.1kg of skunk at the Janguza Barracks area.

Back in Borno, Abdulrahman Bello Ahmadu (34) was found in possession of 10,000 tramadol pills.

By Thursday, July 10, NDLEA had intercepted Sabiu Bala along the Okene–Lokoja Expressway in Kogi with 316.6kg of skunk.

In a separate operation in Kaduna, Haladu Suleiman (38) was caught with 58.805 kilograms of the same drug in Gubuchi, Ikara LGA.

On Friday, July 11, officers arrested businessman Ezeikwelume Afam at the MMIA export shed. Officials uncovered 400g of cocaine and phenacetine carefully disguised as lipstick and hidden among beauty products destined for Malabo, Guinea.

Babafemi said, “It does appear that female lipstick is becoming attractive as an instrument for concealment and trafficking now with yet another consignment of factory-fitted female lipsticks stuffed with illicit substances intercepted at MMIA.

“Ladies beware, this is barely a week after officers uncovered a similar cargo at a courier company in Lagos”.

Meanwhile, at Ajah–Epe Expressway, Lagos, Innocent Ejidiobo and Friday Paul were arrested in a delivery van with 26kg of Ghana Loud, 123g of methamphetamine, and 45g of Molly.

On Saturday, July 12, Godwin Chimaobi Nwaobi (42) was nabbed in Njimtilo, Maiduguri, Borno State. He had 18,759 ampoules of pentazocine and an assortment of pills in his possession.

In Taraba, officers at Lanka Viri checkpoint arrested Auwal Ibrahim (30), Lukman Ibrahim (18), and Hamza Adamu (25) as they attempted to smuggle 577,890 opioid pills and 1.160kg of skunk inside the tyre compartment of a petrol tanker marked MUB 334 YH.

Marwa commended operatives from the MMIA, SOU, and state commands, urging them to sustain the agency’s offensive against drug trafficking and abuse.

NDLEA Foils Drug Smuggling Via Microwaves, Lipsticks, Others is first published on The Whistler Newspaper