Crime
NDLEA makes major interceptions of tramadol pills at Lagos airport

NDLEA makes major interceptions of tramadol pills at Lagos airport
… As notorious drug kingpin bags 7 years imprisonment
By: Michael Mike
Attempts by drug cartel to smuggle into the country an estimated N1.04 billion worth of tramadol has been foiled by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Also foiled was an attempt by traffickers to smuggled a consignment of 1.30 kilogrammes of cannabis concealed in reconstructed engine blocks to Dubai, United Arab Emirate.
A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said desperate attempts by the tramadol drug cartel to smuggle into Nigeria over 2,465,000 tablets of the pharmaceutical opioid in 225mg and 250mg, weighing 2,356 kilogrammes with an estimated street value of N1,040,000,000 through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos was foiled by operatives of the anti-narcotics agency.
Babafemi, while noting that the seizure of the drug last Friday came barely a week after about 13.5 million pills of the same opioid worth over N8.8 billion were recovered by NDLEA operatives from one of the mansions of a billionaire drug baron in the highbrow residential estate, Victoria Garden City, VGC, Lekki Lagos.
He said following credible intelligence, the agency had shown interest in the consignment of 52 cartons that came into Nigeria from Karachi, Pakistan with six different airway bills via Ethiopian Airline flight, comprising seven cartons of 250mg of a brand called tamral and 45 cartons of 225mg, branded as tramaking.
He disclosed that soon after its arrival at the Lagos airport, the NDLEA called for a joint examination of the consignment with other stakeholders and after the suspicion was confirmed by all, the 52 cartons of the seized substance which are above the recommended threshold for medical use and banned in the country, were moved to the agency’s facility.
The spokesman said, in the same vein, another bid to export through the airport 15 parcels of cannabis and 600 grammes of tramadol 225mg concealed in a sack of crayfish to Dubai, UAE was equally thwarted by operatives who seized the consignment and subsequently arrested a freight agent, Osahor Ekwueme, who presented it for export.

Babafemi said Weeks after NDLEA operatives intercepted 5.2 kilogrammes of cannabis concealed in kegs of palm oil going to Dubai at the NAHCO export shed of the Lagos airport, the brain behind the consignment, Ifeanyi Egbuwaohia, has been arrested in Igando area of Lagos.
He said though Ifeanyi works as a technician at Computer Village, Ikeja but beneath his known business is his connection with a drug network in Dubai, where he sends illicit drugs for distribution.
He revealed that few hours after his arrest, another consignment of 2.6 kilogrammes of the same substance sent by him for export to Dubai was also intercepted by operatives at the airport.
Another consignment of 1.3 kilogrammes of cannabis concealed in reconstructed engine blocks going to Dubai have also been seized at the SAHCO export shed while two persons: Olatunji Temiola and Osemojoye Sunday have been arrested in connection to the bid.
In clampdowns across the country, in Kaduna state, a female drug dealer, Peace Ayuba, was last Friday arrested at Kakau Gonin Gora with 78 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 849.5 kilogrammes, while operatives in Sokoto state arrested Onyeka Owo, 28, with 443 bottles of codeine based syrup.
Babafemi also disclosed that 10 months after his arrest by NDLEA, a notorious drug dealer in Alaba Rago area of Ojo, Lagos, Alhaji Surajo Mohammed has been convicted and sentenced to seven years imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice Yellin
He said Surajo was arrested with 941.15 kilogrammes cannabis on Monday 20th December 2021 and arraigned in court in charge number FHC/L/370c/2021. In his judgment delivered last Thursday the Judge however gave the convict an option of seven million naira fine.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) while commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Kaduna, Sokoto and Lagos commands for their feat, urged them and their compatriots across the country to remain steadfast, resolute and unrelenting until the last gramme of illicit drugs is taken away from the streets of Nigeria.
NDLEA makes major interceptions of tramadol pills at Lagos airport
Crime
Illicit drug consignment packaged as green tea intercepted at Lagos airport

Illicit drug consignment packaged as green tea intercepted at Lagos airport
By:Michael Mike
No fewer than 66 parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, packaged as green tea have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.
According to the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, the seizure made last Thursday was based on credible intelligence received ahead of the arrival of the consignment at the cargo wing of the airport on 11th May.

Babafemi, in the statement issued on Sunday, disclosed that the NDLEA had watch-listed the shipment, and sustained surveillance around it for over three weeks before inviting other stakeholders for a joint examination last Thursday.
He said the Loud consignment weighing 62.2 kilogrammes was concealed inside wraps of green tea that came from Thailand via UAE on an Emirate Airlines flight.
Babafemi said in another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives last Monday intercepted a consignment of 1,665 kilogrammes skunk, a strain of cannabis, along Lekki-Ajah expressway. Two suspects: Gidado Ayinde and Obanla Oluwafemi were promptly arrested in connection with the seizure.
In Kaduna, operatives of the state command of NDLEA on patrol along Abuja – Kaduna expressway last Tuesday arrested 29-year-old Goodluck Nnaemeka with 612 bottles of codeine-based syrup and 2,970 pills of flunitrazepam. In another operation same day, a 52-year-old wanted drug dealer Kabiru Musa (a.k.a KB) was arrested at Kurmin Mashi. A total of 25.7 kilogrammes skunk was earlier recovered from his base.
While a total of 9 kilogrammes Loud was recovered from the spare tyre compartment of an Audi station wagon car marked AAA 975 XU driven by Atari Israel, 45, along Auchi road, Edo state, two young women: Favour Joy and Joy Igwe were last Tuesday nabbed at Ikpoba hill area of Benin city. Recovered from them include: 106.57 kilogrammes skunk; 1 kilogramme Loud; 800 grammes Colorado and 302 grammes of methamphetamine.
Babafemi said the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA commands equally continued across the country in the past week.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) while commending the officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kaduna, and Edo commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
Illicit drug consignment packaged as green tea intercepted at Lagos airport
Crime
Young man dies after falling into abandoned mining pit in FCT

Young man dies after falling into abandoned mining pit in FCT
By: Zagazola Makama
A 27-year-old man, Ismail Ahmed, has died after being trapped in an abandoned mining pit in Pangu Village, Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.
Zagazola Makama learnt that the incident happened on Saturday, June 7, during a heavy downpour while Ahmed was washing clothes by a nearby stream.
According to family members, he sought shelter from the rain by entering the old mining hole dug by former gold miners. The soil collapsed due to the heavy rain, trapping him inside.
Community members rescued him and rushed him to Kwali General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The family declined an autopsy and opted for burial according to Islamic rites.
Local residents have been advised to exercise caution and avoid unsafe locations, particularly during the rainy season, to prevent similar tragedies.
Young man dies after falling into abandoned mining pit in FCT
Crime
Troops intercept truck with over 164,000 cartridges in Anambra, arrest suspected IPOB/ESN arms suppliers

Troops intercept truck with over 164,000 cartridges in Anambra, arrest suspected IPOB/ESN arms suppliers
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Sector 5 of Operation UDO KA, in a joint operation with operatives of the 63 Brigade and the Department of State Services (DSS), have intercepted a truck loaded with over 164,000 live cartridges allegedly being supplied to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate, Eastern Security Network (ESN).
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation followed credible intelligence which led to the arrest of a suspected arms courier, Mr Emeka Omenife, along the Asaba–Onitsha expressway on 29 May 2025.


According to the sources, Omenife was immediately handed over to the DSS for interrogation. During questioning, he reportedly confessed to being part of a syndicate involved in transporting ammunition from Ghana to Nigeria for IPOB/ESN operatives.
Following his confession, troops arrested his accomplice, Mr Uchenna Obiora, at the Onitsha–Awka tollgate on 30 May 2025, while he was awaiting delivery of the ammunition.The arrest led to the interception of a truck which had the concealed ammunition.
“Upon interception, the vehicle was moved to Onitsha Cantonment, where a thorough search revealed a total of 164,650 live cartridges hidden in four constructed compartments within the cargo bed of the truck,” a source told Zagazola.
The cartridges, believed to have been purchased from Ghana, had Onitsha as their destination, the source added. Further investigations are ongoing to track down other members of the syndicate and their collaborators.
Zagazola also confirmed from security sources that Omenife had earlier been arrested by troops and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) tracking team on Jan. 22 at his residence in Onitsha Housing Estate.

During the January operation, he attempted to flee and was shot in the buttocks before being evacuated to the 302 Army Regiment Medical Services for treatment. He was later handed over to the Anambra State Police Criminal Investigation Department, Annex Akwuzu, for prosecution. His re-arrest in May suggests that he may have returned to the same criminal enterprise following his release in an unexplained circumstances.
Troops intercept truck with over 164,000 cartridges in Anambra, arrest suspected IPOB/ESN arms suppliers
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