NDLEA arrests multiple drug traffickers nationwide, seizing heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, tramadol, and cannabis in a major crackdown

The operations targeted international drug couriers, domestic syndicates, and cannabis cultivators across several states.

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Two Brazil returnees, Ofoma Sunday and Ukachukwu Frank Ikechukwu, were placed under observation at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, following arrests for ingesting illicit substances.

Ofoma, 46, was intercepted on 16th September after arriving from Laos via Brazil on an Ethiopian Airlines flight.

Body scans confirmed ingestion of 111 wraps of heroin, weighing 1.452 kilograms. He admitted he travelled to Brazil on 3rd September to courier the drugs to Lagos for a reward of \$2,500.

A follow-up operation at Eliata Hotel in Amuwo Odofin led to the arrest of 55-year-old Nweke Jude Chuckwudi, who was designated to oversee the excretion of the drugs.

Similarly, 32-year-old Ukachukwu Frank Ikechukwu was arrested on 19th September after inward clearance at MMIA. He expelled five wraps of cocaine, weighing 145 grams, under observation.

Ukachukwu disclosed he purchased nine wraps in Brazil, but severe discomfort during transit caused him to expel some en route. He has a history of immigration-related detention in the United States before returning to Brazil in 2025.

In a separate case, Okolonkwo Ebere Theresa, a businesswoman from Enugu, was arrested on 14th September for concealing 1.40 kilograms of methamphetamine in her underwear while attempting to board a flight to Doha, Qatar. She claimed recruitment into the drug trade through her clothing and POS businesses.

NDLEA also intercepted shipments at the Lagos airport, including a consignment heading to Hong Kong containing 40 wraps of methamphetamine (2.30 kilograms) and another destined for Europe containing 257 grams of cocaine hidden inside phone chargers.

Domestic operations in Adamawa recovered 233,800 pills of tramadol, with suspects arrested in multiple raids.

Zamfara police, supported by Community Protection Guards, seized 1,099.4 kilograms of skunk cannabis from a suspect transporting the drugs in a Mitsubishi Canter truck.

Similar seizures occurred in Taraba, Yobe, and Edo, where two cannabis farms spanning 4.53 hectares were destroyed, with processed cannabis and seeds weighing 148 kilograms recovered.

The NDLEA has maintained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation programme nationwide, engaging schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities.

Recent activities included awareness lectures in Sokoto, Katsina, Jigawa, Benue, and Kano, as well as advocacy visits to the Enugu State First Lady.

“These arrests and seizures represent a significant milestone in dismantling drug trafficking organisations in Nigeria and beyond,” said NDLEA Chairman/CEO Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd).

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He commended the officers for their diligence and urged continued balanced efforts across all commands to protect Nigerian communities and preserve the country’s image globally.