Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted cocaine and opioids cunningly concealed inside carton walls and destined for the United Kingdom and Australia, while also carrying out a massive operation in Delta State that destroyed 65,000 kilograms of skunk (cannabis sativa) cultivated on sprawling farms. In a statement released on Sunday, May 17, 2026, by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA disclosed that the seizures were made on Friday, May 15, at a courier company in Lagos during the examination of outbound shipments. Operatives discovered 170 grams of cocaine, carefully sealed in cellophane parcels and buried within the walls of a carton containing clothing headed to Australia. In a separate parcel destined for the United Kingdom, officers recovered 200 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 1,100 capsules of tramadol, and 100 ampoules of promethazine injection, also concealed within another carton. These seizures underscore the growing trend of drug cartels using everyday items like clothing to mask the true nature of their illicit consignments.
In Delta State, the NDLEA launched a major offensive against illicit drug cultivation. On Sunday, May 10, operatives raided Ejeonu village in Ukwuani Local Government Area, destroying 27,500 kilograms of skunk cultivated on 11 hectares of farmland. An additional 22.9 kilograms of the substance were recovered, and a 52‑year‑old suspect, Ifeanyichukwu Peter, was arrested in a follow‑up operation in Obiaruku. In a similar raid on Tuesday, May 12, in Orogun village, Ughelli North Local Government Area, the agency destroyed 37,500 kilograms of skunk on 15 hectares of farmland, recovering 55.4 kilograms of the psychoactive substance. A 30‑year‑old suspect, Godwin Vincent Osadera, was also arrested. These operations, supported by soldiers, resulted in a total of 65,000 kilograms of skunk destroyed, dealing a significant blow to the drug trade in the region.
Beyond the drug busts, the NDLEA also intercepted a large cache of military‑grade ammunition along the Abuja‑Kaduna highway on Tuesday, May 12. Officers nabbed a 35‑year‑old suspect, Abdullahi Hassan, while he was transporting 1,989 rounds of RLA 7.62mm ammunition concealed in sacks of garri (cassava granules). The suspect and the ammunition have been handed over to another security agency for further investigation. In Kaduna State, a separate raid in the Dan Magaji area of Zaria led to the recovery of 361 kilograms of skunk and the arrest of a 42‑year‑old suspect, Husaini Suleiman. In the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, operatives arrested a 29‑year‑old businessman, Ogadi Peter, who specialized in producing drug‑laced cakes and cookies for parties and social events. He was traced to his home in the Life Camp area, where 800 grams of skunk and 2.70 kilograms of drug‑infused cookies were recovered.
The NDLEA’s nationwide net also caught other drug peddlers. In Ogun State, 181 kilograms of skunk were recovered from a suspect, Aliyu Sani, during a raid in the Ogere area. In Taraba State, a 27‑year‑old suspect, Sufiyanu Mohammed Misa, was arrested with 105,850 pills of opioids, including tramadol, diazepam, and exol‑5, along the Zaki‑Biam road in Wukari Local Government Area. In Oyo State, two suspects were arrested with 99 litres of “skuchies,” a psychoactive mixture. The NDLEA has stated that these operations are part of its ongoing War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign and its commitment to disrupting drug trafficking networks and destroying illicit drug farms. The agency has called on the public to support its efforts by providing timely information on drug‑related activities in their communities.
The agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, has urged parents and guardians to be vigilant about the activities of their children and wards, noting that drug abuse remains a major threat to the nation’s youth. The NDLEA has reiterated its determination to continue its aggressive stance against all forms of drug trafficking and abuse, regardless of the status of those involved. With the successful interception of the cocaine and opioids bound for international destinations, and the destruction of the massive skunk farms in Delta, the NDLEA has demonstrated its resolve to cripple the drug trade both within Nigeria and across its borders. The arrests and seizures also highlight the need for continued inter‑agency collaboration and public support in the fight against illicit drugs and their devastating impact on society.
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