The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 8,725 kilogrammes of powdered tramadol worth more than ₦6.98 billion at the Apapa Port in Lagos, arrested an 85-year-old grandmother in Edo State and seized large consignments of illicit drugs across several states.
The seizures were recorded during intelligence-led operations in Lagos, Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, leading to multiple arrests and the recovery of cannabis, tramadol, diazepam and other controlled substances.
The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the operations in a statement issued on Sunday, October 18, 2026, saying operatives had uncovered drug consignments concealed in cargo, vehicles and other seemingly ordinary items.
Babafemi said the largest seizure occurred at the Apapa port, where officers, working with the Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies, uncovered a shipment of powdered tramadol from India on October 2.
He stated that the consignment had been declared as maize starch but laboratory tests confirmed it was tramadol hydrochloride powder.
According to him, the drugs were separated from their concealment on October 14 and weighed 8,725 kilogrammes, packed in 349 bags, with an estimated street value exceeding ₦6.98 billion.
In another operation at the Tincan port, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives discovered 55 kilogrammes of Canadian Loud, valued at ₦165 million, concealed inside a Toyota Sienna vehicle shipped in a 40-foot container on October 12.
He added that officers at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport intercepted a female passenger, Fatimah Ahmad, on October 16 while she was preparing to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, through Addis Ababa.
Babafemi said 511.75 grammes of cannabis were found hidden inside a gallon of palm oil in her possession. He stated that Ahmad identified her cousin, Abubakar Yahaya, as the person who gave her the item, leading to his arrest at the airport car park.
Babafemi disclosed that six suspects were arrested during raids in Warake, Ivhiaro and Ewe/Irue communities in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State between October 15 and 16.
He said the suspects included 85-year-old Grace Ehimeka, who was allegedly found with 179 kilogrammes of skunk in Warake.
Other arrests included Ayo Aigberadion, 53, allegedly found with 220.8 kilogrammes of skunk; Ali Garba, 57; Habib Braimoh, 45; Musa Mubid, 35; and Hope Okoro, 35.
According to Babafemi, Mubid was found with cannabis, cannabis seeds, tramadol, Swinol and diazepam, while Okoro was arrested with 237 grammes of Loud.
In Ondo State, Babafemi said operatives raided a cannabis farm in Okemoro Isinbode camp forest on October 17, destroying an estimated 7,500 kilogrammes of skunk cultivated on three hectares of land.
He stated that five suspects were arrested during the operation: Asikpo Ekpeyoung, 43; Solomon Okpani, 22; Ubong Friday, 35; Joseph Friday, 22; and Ekenimi Seth, 35.
The NDLEA spokesman added that officers recovered 92 bags of skunk weighing 1,267 kilogrammes, alongside 11 kilogrammes of cannabis seeds and three kilogrammes of fresh stems.
In a separate operation in Owo, operatives reportedly recovered 375 kilogrammes of cannabis from 25 bags after tracking 53-year-old Okunebe Ndidi to a hideout in Ameyinti on October 16.
Babafemi said NDLEA operatives also raided a store at Idumota Market in Lagos on October 14, arresting Elizabeth Chidera Kalu and recovering 10,600 ampoules of diazepam injection and 6,500 tablets of Molly.
He added that two men, Idowu Daudu and Ahmed Oniyinde, both aged 35, were arrested in Mushin on October 15 with 59.95 kilogrammes and 61.23 kilogrammes of skunk, respectively.
In another operation, Babafemi said officers intercepted a truck along Iyana Oba after it left Trade Fair Market, recovering 18,000 tablets of tramadol 250mg concealed in cartons labelled as Rambo insecticide.
The suspects arrested were identified as Tajudeen Adeduntan, the truck’s loading manager, and his assistant, Azeez Sikiru.
In Bauchi State, Babafemi said officers intercepted a Volkswagen Golf wagon at Ragwam village in Katagum Local Government Area on October 14, recovering 894,800 pills of tramadol capsules and Exol-5 tablets from Shamsu Garba, 35.
He added that operatives on patrol along the Bauchi-Gombe Road recovered 291 blocks of cannabis weighing 265 kilogrammes from an abandoned vehicle at Tudun Natsira village on the same day.
In Kano State, two suspects, Ali Abdullahi, 38, and Ibrahim Adamu, 23, were arrested along the Zaria-Kano Road on October 13 with 30,100 tablets of tramadol 225mg. A day later, officers arrested 54-year-old Murtala Dayyabu at Niger Street, Malan Kato, with 100,000 tablets of Exol-5.
Babafemi further disclosed that three suspects-Mohammed Sani, 48; Zaharadeen Shafiu, 29; and Yakubu Abdullahi, 20, were arrested at Kayimi village in Kaduna State with 496.5 kilogrammes of cannabis.
In another Kaduna operation, John Ayo David, 39, was arrested at Food Palace on Ali Akilu Road with 49,500 tablets of tramadol 225mg.
In Abuja, operatives arrested 42-year-old Odo Jonas Ejike in the Utako area on October 17 with 29,500 capsules of tramadol.
Babafemi said NDLEA commands and formations across the country also sustained their War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaigns during the week, delivering awareness lectures in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.
He listed activities at schools and institutions in Oyo, Gombe, Lagos, Kogi, Cross River, Rivers, Edo and Kano states among the outreach programmes.
The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers and men of the Apapa, Tincan, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Lagos, Edo, Bauchi, Ondo, Kano and Federal Capital Territory commands for what he described as professional and intelligence-driven operations.
Marwa urged them and other personnel nationwide to sustain pressure on drug trafficking networks while maintaining the agency’s balanced approach to drug control.
