Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A shipment of ketamine and MDMA concealed inside water purifier machines from the Netherlands was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at a Lagos courier facility on 26 May 2026, the agency announced on Sunday, 31 May 2026. The discovery was part of a nationwide crackdown that also led to the seizure of over 1.7 tonnes of cannabis, thousands of tramadol tablets and 380 rounds of military‑grade ammunition. NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the drugs uncovered included three kilogrammes of ketamine and 199 grammes of MDMA, popularly known as ecstasy. The narcotics had been carefully hidden inside the imported water purifier machines, a concealment method that the agency described as sophisticated and increasingly common among transnational drug cartels. The operation, carried out at a courier company in Lagos, was intelligence‑led and followed weeks of surveillance on the consignment, which had been shipped directly from the Netherlands.
In separate but related operations across the country, NDLEA officers in Kaduna State arrested a couple, Musa Sunday and Mercy Sunday, alongside 38‑year‑old Salomi Ezekiel, after seizing 100 jumbo bags of skunk weighing a total of 1,246 kilogrammes from a residence in the Gonin Gora area of the state on 24 May 2026. The suspects were found with the massive haul of cannabis, which investigators said was intended for distribution across multiple northern states. On the same day, along the Abuja–Kaduna highway at Jere, officers intercepted a 30‑year‑old suspect, Sunusi Musa, who was found in possession of 380 rounds of 7.62mm military‑grade ammunition. The suspect, who was travelling to Katsina State, has been handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation and possible prosecution.
In Niger State, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence raided a warehouse at Gidan Kukah in Bosso Local Government Area on 27 May 2026, recovering 457 kilogrammes of skunk. A suspect, 46‑year‑old Godwin Zakka, was later arrested at his residence in Gbeganu, Minna, in connection with the seizure. Meanwhile, in Enugu State, officers on patrol along the Onitsha–Enugu expressway on 28 May 2026 intercepted a commercial vehicle bound for Taraba State. A search of the bus led to the recovery of 22,000 pills of tramadol, 100 ampoules of pentazocine and 200 grammes of bromazepam. The driver, James Maigari Wisdom, was arrested at the scene. The agency said all suspects remain in custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations. The drugs, ammunition and other exhibits have been secured for forensic analysis and are expected to be presented as evidence during the trials.
Reacting to the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers and men of the Kaduna, Niger, Enugu and DOGI commands for the arrests and seizures. Marwa lauded their drug supply reduction efforts and charged them, alongside other formations across the country, to remain steadfast and not rest on their laurels. He urged all personnel to sustain the momentum in both enforcement and public awareness campaigns, particularly the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative, which continued with sensitisation programmes in schools, worship centres and communities across several states, including Cross River, Taraba, Lagos and Anambra during the same period.
The seizure of ketamine and MDMA concealed in household appliances underscores the evolving tactics of drug trafficking networks that seek to exploit the growing volume of imported consumer goods. Ketamine, a powerful anaesthetic with hallucinogenic properties, has become increasingly popular as a party drug in Nigeria’s urban centres, while MDMA remains one of the most widely used recreational substances among young people. The NDLEA has intensified its targeting of courier services and cargo shipments as part of a broader strategy to dismantle the supply chains that feed Nigeria’s multi‑billion‑naira illicit drug market. With the interception of the Netherlands‑origin consignment and the other seizures across Kaduna, Niger and Enugu states, the agency has demonstrated a growing capacity to track, intercept and dismantle drug trafficking networks that operate across Nigeria’s porous borders and international ports.
The operations have drawn praise from civil society groups, who have called for sustained funding and support for the NDLEA, as well as for enhanced collaboration with international partners to disrupt the flow of narcotics into the country. As the agency continues its War Against Drug Abuse campaign, it has also appealed to members of the public to provide credible information on drug trafficking activities and to support rehabilitation efforts for those struggling with substance abuse.
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