NDLEA intercepts cocaine, tramadol consignments in vehicle side mirrors at Lagos airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said its operatives intercepted consignments of cocaine and tramadol 225mg concealed in 71 vehicle side mirrors being sent to Libreville, Gabon through the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.

NDLEA disclosed that not less than three suspects linked to the cargo have been arrested in follow-up operations.

This was announced on Sunday in a statement by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja.

Babafemi disclosed that the first batch of the consignment consisting 57,420 pills of tramadol 225mg and 57 pellets of Cocaine weighing 1.60kg were intercepted in a cargo going to Gabon on Air Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday 19th July 2025.

He explained that a popular cargo agent, Ihekweme Osinachi Benedict, handling the shipment was immediately arrested, adding that further investigation led to the arrest of another suspect Uzochukwu Godspower Chukwurah on Sunday 20th July.

Eleven parcels of cocaine with a total weight of 1kg were later recovered from four additional side mirrors being prepared for export found in the home of Uzochukwu on Monday 21st July, bringing the total number of parcels of cocaine to 68 weighing 2.60 kilograms.

In a related development, NDLEA operatives on Friday, 1st August, 2025, arrested a businesswoman, Mrs Nwafor Roseann Nneka, at her shop within the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, Lagos following the interception of 100 grams of cocaine and 300 grams of phenacetine, a cutting agent, concealed in ladies’ lipsticks going to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, through the export shed of the Lagos airport on 10th July 2025.

Two cargo agents linked to the shipment were earlier arrested before the eventual arrest of Nneka who runs the criminal trade as a family business with her husband Remigus Nwafor, currently on the run. In her statement, Mrs Nwafor admitted she bought the lipsticks used to conceal the illicit drugs while her husband handled the actual concealment.

In Abuja, the nation’s Federal Capital Territory, NDLEA operatives conducting intelligence-led stop and search operations in Gwarimpa, Jahi, and Galadimawa areas of the FCT on Wednesday 30th July, 2025 and arrested three dispatch riders – Sabo Sule, 24, Samuel Nnamdi, 28, and Idris Jibrin, 28, for distributing illicit substances around the city. A total of 149.8 grams of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis were recovered from them.

Two other suspects: Aliyu Abubakar, 25, and Adekunle Agbabiaka, 30, were arrested along Abaji-Gwagwalada expressway with 91.1kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, on Saturday 2nd August.

In Lagos, NDLEA officers acting on intelligence on Saturday l, 2nd August 2025, arrested Joseph Michael with 3.3 kilograms of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis in Mushin while Ibrahim Sulaiman was nabbed in Iwaya area of Yaba with 16.5 litres of skuchies on Friday, 1st August 2025.

No fewer than 100,000 pills of tramadol capsules were seized from a suspect, Hussein Yusuf, 37, at an NDLEA checkpoint along Vandeikya-Ogoja road in Benue state on Friday, 1st August, 2025, while operatives in Edo state same day raided a warehouse in Ekpoma where a suspect William Alabi, 44, was arrested and 233.5kg skunk recovered.

In Borno state, NDLEA operatives at the arrival hall of the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, MBIAM, Maiduguri on Friday, 1st August 2025 intercepted a consignment of 160 pills of tramadol concealed in footwears by a 38-year-old passenger, Umar Aminu who was promptly arrested.

While NDLEA operatives in Ogun state on Friday, 1st August 2025, raided the Oja Odan area and arrested a female suspect, Yahaya Aminat Seyi, with 7, 218 pills of opioids mainly tramadol, their counterparts in Oyo state nabbed Oladeji Saka, 54, with 77.5 kilograms of skunk at Asanike, Ibadan, just as another suspect Benson Izah, 40, was arrested in Abraka, Delta state
with 12.5kg skunk, 1kg tramadol and 14.4litres of codeine.

In Bayelsa State, NDLEA officers on Friday, 1st August 2025, arrested 52-year-old Chief Emeka Opara and Onuoha Chidinma, 25, along Tantua road, Amassoma where a total of 41,705 tramadol capsules, among other assorted opioids were recovered from their shop and residence, while a suspect Bashir Gambo, 30, was nabbed at Yar Yasa town, Tudun Wada LGA, Kano state, with 61kg skunk.

Two suspects: Kabiru Ayinde, 40; and Roqeeb Adekanmbi, 25, were on Monday, 28th July 2025 arrested at Ile-Ogbo area of Iwo town, Osun state, where 90kg skunk, 36.3grams of methamphetamine, a Toyota bus marked SMK 755 YF and N228,200.00 cash exhibit were recovered from them.

NDLEA intercepts cocaine, tramadol consignments in vehicle side mirrors at Lagos airport