NDLEA intercepts illicit drugs at Lagos Airport, Kano
Desperate attempts by suspected members of Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) to smuggle consignments of illicit substances—specifically methamphetamine and opioids—to Europe have been foiled. National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operatives intercepted the drugs, which were concealed in carton walls, winter jackets, and body cream containers, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja and […]
A suspect arrested in Kano with dry leaves suspected to be Indian hemp at the weekend
Desperate attempts by suspected members of Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) to smuggle consignments of illicit substances—specifically methamphetamine and opioids—to Europe have been foiled.
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operatives intercepted the drugs, which were concealed in carton walls, winter jackets, and body cream containers, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja and a Lagos courier firm.
A statement by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi confirmed that two of the shipments heading to Italy were intercepted at the Lagos airport, leading to the prompt arrest of two suspects.
According to the statement, 37-year-old Friday Ehianuka was intercepted on Friday, March 20, 2026, while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Rome.
He was found with 2,698 pills of Tramadol (225mg) concealed inside skin-lightening body cream containers packed in his luggage. Ehianuka, a resident of Milan, admitted he was to be paid a negotiated fee in Euros upon successful delivery.
In another bust last Wednesday, operatives at the MMIA departure hall intercepted Christian Agbonhese as he attempted to board a Lufthansa Airlines flight to Milan.
A thorough search of his luggage revealed, 23,150 pills of Tramadol (225mg), 4,000 tablets of Tapentadol (250mg) and 1,320 pills of Tramadol (100mg)
According to Babafemi, the drugs were hidden inside two large winter jackets, bringing the total recovery from the 38-year-old Milan resident to 28,470 pills.
Babafemi added that NDLEA officers at a Lagos courier firm intercepted two parcels of “Loud” (a potent strain of cannabis) weighing 1kg, which had been shipped from the United States. Additionally, an attempt to export 158 grams of methamphetamine concealed within the walls of a carton destined for New Zealand was thwarted.
In Kano State, operatives arrested Abdulkadir Mamuda (35) with 102.5kg of skunk at Dan-Tsalle last Wednesday. On the same day, Uche Johnson Festus (47) was apprehended at Naibawa Gabas with 95.5kg of the same substance.
In Ijora area of Lagos, a raid on a store in the Otto area last Wednesday resulted in the recovery of 21,737 bottles of codeine-based syrup.