Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
In a major victory for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), a quiet mansion in the upscale Lekki Phase 1 area of Lagos has been uncovered as a major drug depot, leading to the seizure of illicit drugs worth over 5.8 billion and sparking a nationwide alert about a dangerous new trend in narcotics packaging that targets children.
Operatives of the agency’s Special Operations Unit raided the property located at 36 African Lane on Friday, May 8, 2026, where they made a shocking discovery. Inside the stash house, officers found 4,000 parcels of "Loud," a potent strain of imported cannabis, with a total weight of 2,326 kilograms. The street value of the massive haul was estimated at over five billion, eight hundred and fifteen million Naira (N5,815,000,000.00). "That's the much saved from getting into our homes by those targeting our children," the agency's spokesman, Femi Babafemi, stated after the operation.
But the scale of the seizure is only part of the story. The NDLEA used the bust to urgently warn parents and guardians across the country to be vigilant about colourful, designer-style sachets and packages they might find in their homes. The agency noted that drug traffickers are increasingly packaging hard drugs in bright, attractive packaging resembling sweets, snacks, and everyday consumer items, a deliberate and sinister strategy to lure teenagers and young adults into substance abuse.
"If you see anything like this in your wastebasket at home, seek help for your young ones immediately," Babafemi warned, sharing photos of the disguised narcotics on social media. In addition to the massive cannabis haul, operatives also seized two Mercedes-Benz buses and a large quantity of the deceitful designer sachets used for packaging the substance for retail distribution from the Lekki mansion.
The successful Lekki raid was part of a much broader, week-long nationwide crackdown by the NDLEA, which resulted in multiple arrests and seizures across several states, including Anambra, Kwara, Kogi, and Nasarawa. A particularly alarming aspect of the operation was the arrest of three persons with disabilities (PWDs) who were allegedly used as drug couriers in different parts of the country.
In Anambra State, a 60-year-old man, Romanus Nwabara (a PWD), was arrested on Wednesday, May 6, at Akpaka Forest in Onitsha with 250 grams of skunk. In another raid in the Ogbunike area of the state, officers arrested another PWD, 25-year-old Amos Kenneth, and recovered 160 grams of Tramadol, Diazepam pills, and other substances. Similarly, along the Bode Saadu highway in Kwara State, a commercial vehicle was intercepted on Friday, May 8, leading to the discovery of 6.3 kilograms of skunk concealed in the bag of a passenger, Usman Salisu, who is also a PWD.
The nationwide operations also led to other significant successes. In Nasarawa State, one Emmanuel Osita Okeke was arrested with 129 kilograms of skunk. Along the Okene-Lokoja highway in Kogi State, a commuter bus was intercepted and 766 kilograms of skunk were recovered, leading to the arrest of three suspects. In Lagos, operatives raided a makeshift factory in the Ijora Badia area, where two suspects were caught processing a dangerous illicit brew called "skuchies."
While commending the officers for the massive seizures, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), said the operations were part of the agency's dual strategy of supply reduction and the "War Against Drug Abuse" (WADA) sensitization campaign. He urged families, educators, and community leaders to remain vigilant, as the increasing sophistication of drug trafficking networks continues to pose a serious threat to Nigerian youths.
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