October 05, (THEWILL) — Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have smashed two cocaine cartels responsible for six separate shipments of illicit substance bound for the United Kingdom.
The operations, which spanned over three weeks across Lagos and other states, led to the arrest of six suspects, including the alleged kingpin, Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode, who disguised as a businessman and real estate developer.
A statement signed on Sunday, by Media Spokesperson for the agency, Femi Babafemi, said the decisive operation began on September 16, 2025, when NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine weighing 13.4 kilograms concealed in walls of cocoa butter body cream containers.
The arrest of a cargo agent during the operation led investigators to Alhaji Ode, who was later apprehended after weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering.
During interrogation, the suspect admitted ownership of the consignment, valued at over N150 million, claiming he acquired it for business purposes after returning from the United Kingdom in 2024, having previously lived in several European countries, including Austria, Netherlands, France, Germany, and Saudi Arabia.
Similarly, the MMIA Strategic Command of NDLEA thwarted five other attempts by another cartel to export cocaine to the UK. The trail began on September 26, with the seizure of 2.10 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside hair cream containers at the airport’s export shed. The arrest of a cargo agent led to the capture of Smith David Korede, a furniture maker, from whose Oshodi residence additional 1.40 kilograms of cocaine were recovered.
Further seizures on September 30 and October 2, linked Korede to three separate consignments. Two other suspects, Ogunbiyi Oluseye Taiwo and Popoola Francis Olumuyiwa, were arrested after NDLEA discovered cocaine concealed in crayfish, stainless cups, and hair cream containers—amounting to 2.6 kilograms in total.
In a related operation, NDLEA operatives foiled an attempt to smuggle 6.3 kilograms of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, concealed in bedsheets and hibiscus flowers from Thailand, while a joint NDLEA–Customs team arrested 38-year-old Sa’adu Ali along the Danbatta–Daura Road in Kano with 290,450 pills of tramadol (250mg) and pregabalin capsules.
In Lagos, a notorious dealer, John Igbe, popularly known as SammyBless, was apprehended in Lekki with 550 grams of Colorado, while three other suspects — Idris Lukman, Fuad Abdulsalam, and Mobolaji James — were nabbed in Mushin with 109 kilograms of skunk, 20 bottles of codeine syrup, and 2 kilograms of nitrous oxide. Similarly, at the Trade Fair Complex in Alaba, NDLEA recovered 3,700 bottles of codeine syrup and 550,000 caplets of expired 225mg diclofenac. In separate raids, 27,700 pills of tramadol were seized from Salisu Abubakar in Kwara, 498.5 kilograms of skunk from Blessing Ovaka in Kaduna, and 34,180 capsules of tramadol from Dahiru Salisu along the Kaduna–Zaria Road.
In Ogun State, a suspect, Abubakar Audu, was caught with 112 kilograms of skunk, while in Osun State, NDLEA destroyed a 5.6-hectare cannabis farm yielding 14,000 kilograms of skunk. In Edo State, officers intercepted a Toyota Sienna loaded with 244.5 kilograms of skunk, arrested two suspects, and destroyed over 10,000 kilograms of cannabis cultivated across four farms in Ovia North-East.
Operatives on patrol along the Okene–Lokoja Highway also intercepted a parcel coming from Lagos to Abuja containing 3.27 kilograms of Loud and a sachet of Colorado. A follow-up operation at Gwagwalada Park led to the arrest of Tobi Odubote (34), while another suspect, Ismail Abdurrahim (32), was nabbed with 25.5 kilograms of skunk along the Abaji–Abuja Expressway.
Meanwhile, NDLEA Commands across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, markets, and worship centres in states, including Adamawa, Katsina, Niger, Lagos, and Imo, as part of efforts to curb substance abuse.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers for their professionalism and commitment, warning that no cartel will escape the agency’s reach.
“We’ll continue to target and dismantle every identified drug cartel at every level of their operations—from the mules to the dealers and up to their leadership. Every arrest, seizure, and forfeiture signifies lives saved and communities protected both in Nigeria and abroad”, Marwa declared.
The agency reaffirmed its determination to eradicate illicit drug trafficking and safeguard national and global health and security.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
