Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Henry Owen
Abuja, Nigeria — Security authorities in Nigeria have foiled a dangerous consignment of explosives and made a series of high-profile arrests in ongoing efforts to stem the flow of illicit materials and narcotics across the country, in operations that underscore growing concern over smuggling networks targeting multiple regions.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced this weekend that they had intercepted bags containing 140 packets of explosives destined for Kano and Kaduna states. The seizure occurred on 23 January 2026, after officers acting on credible intelligence stopped a commercial vehicle moving along the Kaduna–Zaria highway. During follow-up operations, two suspects — Aminu Ali Baba, 20, and Abdulrasheed Abubakar, 28 — were arrested for their alleged involvement in conveying the explosive materials. Aminu was taken into custody at Karota Park in Kano, while Abubakar was apprehended at Mando Park in Kaduna.
In a broader enforcement sweep across multiple states, NDLEA officials also detained several individuals in connection with significant narcotics seizures. Among those arrested were Chief James Abamu, a village head in Edo State, and Aboy Egah Abamu, following a raid at Lagos Camp in Ilushi, Esan South East Local Government Area, where officers recovered 681 kilograms of skunk (a potent strain of cannabis) and 181 kilograms of cannabis seeds.
Other arrests included 72-year-old Afolalu Joseph in Ekiti State, detained alongside Abu Bunmi, 45, with 62 kilograms of skunk seized. This significant haul forms part of a wave of interdictions by the agency’s commands targeting drug trafficking routes and supply chains.
Authorities highlighted that the explosives interception was part of intelligence-led efforts to disrupt the movement of harmful materials that could endanger lives or be used to support criminal or insurgent activities. While the primary mandate of the NDLEA is drug enforcement, collaboration with other security agencies has increasingly seen the agency engaged in identifying and halting shipments of contraband with potential national security implications.
In related drug enforcement actions, operatives also uncovered a range of other illicit consignments. Arrests were made in Kaduna’s Kwangila area, where Fatima Ibrahim, 42, and Adejimoh Ismaila, 44, were taken into custody with 120 kilograms of skunk, and in Kano State’s Sabon Gari, where 1,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection were seized from three suspects.
These operations form part of a nationwide clampdown that has seen the NDLEA recover significant quantities of drugs ranging from tramadol pills and cannabis variants to other controlled substances, while also arresting individuals involved in their transportation, distribution, and concealment. In recent months, similar enforcement efforts have netted millions of tramadol tablets and vast stocks of cannabis products, emphasising the scale of the challenge facing law enforcement.
The agency’s chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has consistently urged personnel to maintain professionalism and sustain the momentum in both drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction operations nationwide. Leadership within the NDLEA also emphasises engagement with communities through education and sensitisation campaigns aimed at reducing the allure of illicit drugs and undermining the networks that facilitate their spread.
The recent seizures and arrests are likely to place additional pressure on traffickers and smugglers who exploit Nigeria’s extensive road networks and border corridors. Authorities warn that those intercepted with explosives, narcotics, or other contraband face serious prosecution under Nigerian law, and that collaborative efforts with other security agencies will continue to target both the supply and demand sides of organised smuggling.
As investigations continue, officials have pledged to rigorously pursue leads and secure further arrests in what remains a high-stakes fight against criminal syndicates operating within and across Nigeria’s borders.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments