Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State, and Apapa Seaport, Lagos, have recovered drugs valued at approximately N6.5 billion.
The seized consignments included over six million opioid pills specifically Tamol 225mg, Tapentadol 225mg, and Carisoprodol 225mg as well as 332,000 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup.
In a statement released on Sunday, the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, explained that the seizures at Apapa and Onne ports followed intelligence gathering and the tracking of new trafficking routes employed by drug cartels to smuggle illicit substances into Nigeria.
“This necessitated the watch-listing of containers for 100 per cent examination. At Port Harcourt, six million opioid pills and 162,000 bottles of codeine syrup were uncovered in two containers on Monday 19, and Tuesday, May 20, 2025, during a joint inspection by NDLEA officers alongside Nigeria Customs and other security agencies,” Babafemi added.
At Apapa port in Lagos, a further 170,000 bottles of codeine syrup were discovered in a watch-listed container during a similar joint inspection on Thursday, May 22.
Babafemi also disclosed the arrest of two British nationals and their Nigerian accomplices for attempting to smuggle 51.10kg of cannabis into the country.
“Two British nationals, Mhizha Jordan Alexander Tatendra and Ayedipe Andrew Adejuwon, along with two Nigerians, Shonowo Oluwaseun Imole and Ofuoma Omokaro Ayobami, were arrested by NDLEA operatives for attempting to smuggle 92 bags of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis weighing 51.10kg—through Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
“Alexander was intercepted upon arrival at MMIA on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha on Thursday, May 15, following processed intelligence. He was allowed to pass through security control unhindered but was closely monitored by NDLEA operatives to the car park, where the consignment’s owner, Ayedipe Andrew Adejuwon, a Nigerian-British national, awaited in an SUV with his relative Shonowo Oluwaseun Imole and driver Ofuoma Omokaro Ayobami.
“The operatives swooped on them as they attempted to leave the airport car park, arresting them with the drugs in the vehicle.”
Babafemi revealed that Alexander confessed to being recruited during his recent vacation and was promised £1,300 following the successful delivery of the consignment in Lagos.
“The syndicate’s ringleader, Ayedipe Andrew Adejuwon, admitted arriving in Nigeria a day earlier from South Africa via Ghana.
“A follow-up operation at their Lekki apartment led to further discoveries. Upon arrest, N93,000 and 17,200 South African Rand were recovered from him, while a search of the apartment yielded N3,810,500 in cash, an Apple laptop, an iPhone 14 Pro Max, and four canisters of laughing gas (nitrous oxide).”
In other operations, Babafemi reported that NDLEA operatives destroyed 75,000 kilograms of skunk on 30 hectares of cannabis farms at Esuk-Odot village, Odukpani LGA, Cross River State, where 200kg of the substance was also seized on Wednesday, 22nd May. Additionally, 1,957.5kg of cannabis was destroyed at Ohosu Forest, Ovia South West LGA, and Okhuse Community Forest, Owan West LGA, Edo State on May 23 and 24.
“In Nasarawa State, two suspects—Sunday Daniel, 51, and Abu Peter, 30 were arrested in Keffi on Saturday, 24th May, when 4,000 kilograms of skunk were found concealed under unprocessed wood in their lorry. Another suspect, Godwin Obi, 39, was apprehended at Karu with 154.5kg of the same substance on Wednesday, May 21.
“In Kaduna, NDLEA operatives patrolling the Kaduna-Zaria Expressway at Gwargwaje intercepted 22-year-old Muhammad Hamza with 57,750 tramadol and diazepam pills on Wednesday, 21st May. On the same day, operatives in Bauchi arrested 45-year-old Usman Muhammad along Bauchi-Misau Road with 80 blocks of skunk weighing 45kg,” the statement added.
Similarly, Babafemi said operatives conducting stop-and-search operations along the Potiskum–Damaturu road in Yobe State intercepted 55 parcels of Colorado cannabis weighing 2kg, which suspect Adum Muhammed, 29, was attempting to smuggle into the Republic of Chad through Ngamboru Ngala border town in Borno State.
“In Niger State, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Mokwa-Jebba Road on Thursday, May 22, intercepted a Mercedes Benz car marked FST 938 FU loaded with 235 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 97kg and arrested suspect Adams Ayibakro.
“Meanwhile, operatives in Lagos raided Osapa London area of Lekki, arresting Jonathan Isa with various quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, molly, Rohypnol, codeine, cannabis, and nitrous oxide. Another raid at Idasun, Eleko, Ibeju Lekki on Saturday, May 24, led to the arrest of Olamilekan Idowu and the seizure of 48kg of skunk,” he stated.
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