The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it recovered 4,777 sachets of Canadian loud, a strain of cannabis worth over N7.1 billion in street value, at the Apapa seaport in Lagos.
In a statement issued by the spokesman of the anti-narcotic agency, Femi Babafemi, said three vehicles were used to conceal the consignment weighing 2,388.5 kilogrammes, during a joint examination of shipment on Monday.
Babafemi said the agency, in another operation, recovered a total of two million, two hundred and forty pills of 250 milligrammes Tapentadol worth over N2.2 billion from a shipment from India aboard an Air Maroc flight on Friday.
“The exercise was based on an intelligence received and processed by NDLEA,” the statement reads.
“This came on the heels of the seizure of a consignment of tramadol buried in containers of black soap heading to the UK.
“The shipment was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at a courier firm in Lagos on Wednesday 22nd July.
“A 55-year-old businessman, Onuigbo Ndubisi Chinedu who deals in clothing at the popular Balogun market, Lagos Island, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over attempt to export 3.30 kilograms of cocaine concealed in walls of cartons used to package foodstuffs going to the United kingdom.
“Onuigbo was arrested on Thursday 23rd July 2026 following the interception of his cocaine consignment at the export shed of the Lagos airport the previous day, Wednesday 22nd July by NDLEA operatives.
“In the course of investigation, three cargo agents: Nkwor Onyekachukwu Justina; Adeleke Abiola Taoheed; and Ukanwa Grace Pilgrim, who handled the shipment were initially arrested leading to the arrest Kenneth Okakpu who delivered the consignment to the cargo agents for shipment to the UK.
“Okakpu’s arrest provided the lead to identifying Onuigbo as the kingpin behind the syndicate and his eventual arrest while attempting to send another consignment of cocaine to the UK.”
The NDLEA said Emmanuella Chukwu-Edo, a 31-year-old entrepreneur involved in illicit drugs, was arrested in Surulere, Lagos, on Tuesday following the seizure of 2.80 kilogrammes of loud, which arrived from the United States.
Babafemi said NDLEA operatives also arrested suspects with possession of illegal firearms.
“A suspect Mustapha Sani, 30, was on Wednesday 22nd July nabbed by NDLEA operatives on patrol operation at Baure, Safana LGA, Katsina state where he was found with 323 rounds of military grade ammunition consisting of 200 pieces of 7.62mm and 123 rounds of 7.6mm neatly concealed,” the statement added.
“Another suspect, Abubakar Amadu, 30, was arrested by NDLEA officers on stop and search operation at Jere, along Abuja-Kaduna expressway where he was found with 73 RLA, 7.62mm ammunition hidden in kegs of red oil. Both suspects have been handed over to the relevant security agency for further investigation.”
Babafemi said the agency has intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign and awareness lectures to schools, worship centres, and workplaces.
Buba Marwa, chairman of the agency, commended officers and personnel of the directorate of operations and general investigation (DOGI) as well as the MMIA, Apapa, Edo, Kaduna and Katsina commands for their successful operations.
He urged them and other commands nationwide to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control through simultaneous enforcement and drug demand reduction efforts.
