The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully thwarted multiple attempts to smuggle illicit drugs into and out of Nigeria in recent weeks, making several significant seizures across the country.
One of the most notable interceptions occurred at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) on December 15, 2024. NDLEA officers seized 256 wraps of cocaine, weighing 6 kilograms, from Olisaka Chibuzo Calistus, an import and export businessman.
The drugs were discovered during the inward clearance of passengers from Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 941, which arrived from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This seizure marked the largest cocaine interception at the Kano airport since the NDLEA established its MAKIA Command in 2006.
In another operation, the NDLEA prevented an ex-convict, Olanrewaju Bada Akorede, from exporting a consignment of rohypnol to South Africa. Akorede, who had been convicted earlier this year for attempting to smuggle 4.9 kilograms of tramadol and 2.1 kilograms of rohypnol, was caught attempting to ship the drugs concealed in a cargo of everyday items, including gari, shoes, and men’s singlets, from the Lagos International Airport.
On December 18, 2024, the NDLEA arrested Cynthia Akaeen, an Italy-based businesswoman, at the Lagos airport as she tried to board a flight to Italy. The agency recovered 9,190 tablets of various tramadol brands, weighing 6 kilograms, from Akaeen. She had been promised 1,000 Euros for successfully delivering the consignment in Italy.
Further seizures included a raid on a warehouse in Onitsha, Anambra State, on December 17, where NDLEA operatives recovered 418,330 pills of tramadol and 8,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup. At the Tincan Island port in Lagos, 180,000 bottles of codeine syrup were seized on December 18, originating from Mundra, India.
In Borno State, NDLEA operatives made several arrests, including the capture of Ishaya Wabba and Samaila Audu, who were found with 293,000 capsules of tramadol, a pistol, and 26 rounds of ammunition on December 16.
On the same day, Sanusi Abdul Hamid was arrested in Maiduguri with 260,000 tramadol capsules. Additionally, Modu Kolera was apprehended with cannabis, tramadol, and other psychoactive substances on December 18.
In Oyo State, Gafar Saminu was arrested on December 18 with 33.5 kilograms of cannabis, while a raid in Enugu resulted in the recovery of 94 kilograms of cannabis. Meanwhile, a consignment of 32 kilograms of ephedrine, a precursor chemical, was seized in Lagos on December 16.
These actions highlight the continued vigilance of the NDLEA in tackling drug trafficking and its commitment to curbing the illegal drug trade in Nigeria.
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