March 29, (THEWILL) — The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a series of major breakthroughs in its nationwide crackdown on illicit drug trafficking, intercepting a large cocaine consignment ingeniously concealed in dry stock fish and dismantling multiple drug syndicates across the country.
A statement signed on Sunday by the agency Spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed that the headline seizure involved 237 wraps of cocaine weighing 5.80 kilograms, cleverly buried inside the heads of imported dry fish, popularly known as “Okporoko.”
The illicit consignment, destined for Delhi, India, was intercepted following a well-coordinated intelligence-led operation by NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Strategic Command in Lagos.
During the operation carried out in Ojo on March 19, operatives arrested a 36-year-old suspect, Akputa Dickson Ejike, identified as a key figure in a transnational drug trafficking network.
The arrest and seizure followed sustained intelligence gathering on the syndicate’s cross-border activities, underscoring the agency’s growing efficiency in disrupting global narcotics pipelines.
In a separate operation, NDLEA officers attached to the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation intercepted two United Kingdom-bound consignments at a Lagos courier facility on March 25.
One shipment originating from Cotonou, Benin Republic, contained 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in automobile filters, while another parcel concealed 40 ampoules of morphine sulphate and nine ampoules of fentanyl—highly potent opioids with severe abuse risks.
The agency’s offensive extended further with a decisive raid on a notorious drug distribution hub in Yaba, Lagos, on March 26. Operatives apprehended 46-year-old Omolade Abigail Jolayemi, widely known as “Iya Ghana,” alongside her associate, Sarah Zainab Agbabiaka, 31.
The duo was found in possession of 135 blocks of “Ghana Loud,” a strong strain of cannabis, weighing 76.30 kilograms. Investigations revealed that Jolayemi operated a cross-border drug network under the guise of a legitimate textile business.
On the same day, another suspect, Anayo Lucky Ohabiro, 39, was arrested in Surulere, Lagos, with 78 blocks of the same cannabis strain weighing 41 kilograms, further highlighting the scale of distribution networks being dismantled.
In Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives arrested an 80-year-old suspect, Oke Samuel, during a targeted raid in Efon-Alaaye, recovering 2.2 kilograms of skunk and traces of methamphetamine.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Ondo State, a separate operation in Akure North led to the seizure of a staggering 894.72 kilograms of cannabis from an uncompleted building, with one suspect, Enuwa Kehinde Kingsley, taken into custody.
Other coordinated operations across the country yielded significant results. In Benue State, 116.7 kilograms of skunk were recovered from a suspect in Guma LGA, while in Edo State, NDLEA operatives uncovered a warehouse in Ekpoma, seizing 576.5 kilograms of cannabis and 33 bottles of codeine-based syrup, and arresting a 25-year-old suspect, Felix Donald.
Similarly, in Taraba State, officers intercepted a truck transporting 135 kilograms of compressed cannabis concealed in animal feed bags along the Garbachede-Gombe route. Two suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure.
Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign nationwide, delivering sensitisation lectures in schools across Cross River, Adamawa, Oyo, Kano, and Lagos States.
The initiative continues to play a vital role in reducing drug demand through education and community engagement.
Commending the officers involved in the operations, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Buba Marwa, praised their professionalism and dedication.
He also lauded commands across the federation for maintaining a balanced approach between drug supply reduction and preventive education efforts.
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