NDLEA intercepts UK, Australia-bound cocaine, raids forests, seizes arms and arrests suspects nationwide

Crime Diary

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced a series of major operations across Nigeria, intercepting consignments of cocaine and opioids concealed in carton walls bound for the United Kingdom and Australia, destroying large cannabis farms, recovering military-grade ammunition, and arresting multiple suspects involved in drug trafficking and production.

According to a statement issued by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media & Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, on Sunday, 17 May 2026, the seizures were recorded at a courier company in Lagos on Friday, 15 May. Operatives recovered 170 grams of cocaine hidden in a carton of clothes destined for Australia, and a separate shipment to the UK containing 200 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 1,100 capsules of tramadol, and 100 ampoules of promethazine injection.

In Delta State, NDLEA operatives raided Ejeonu village, Ukwuani LGA, on 10 May, destroying 27,500kg of skunk on 11 hectares of farmland and arresting a suspect, Ifeanyichukwu Peter. A similar raid in Orogun village, Ughelli North LGA, on 12 May led to the destruction of 37,500kg of skunk on 15 hectares and the arrest of Godwin Vincent Osadera. In total, 65,000kg of skunk was destroyed in the two operations, supported by soldiers.

In Kaduna State, NDLEA recovered 361kg of skunk and arrested Husaini Suleiman during a raid in Zaria on 13 May. A day earlier, operatives intercepted 1,989 rounds of RLA 7.62mm ammunition concealed in cassava granules (“garri”) along the Abuja-Kaduna highway. The suspect, Abdullahi Hassan, was handed over to another security agency for further investigation.

In Abuja, NDLEA arrested Ogadi Peter, 29, who specialised in producing drug-laced cakes and cookies for parties. He was nabbed at his Life Camp residence on 11 May, with 800 grams of skunk and 2.7kg of drug-laced cookies recovered.

Other operations included the arrest of Aliyu Sani in Ogun State with 181kg of skunk, and Sufiyanu Mohammed Misa, 27, in Taraba State with 105,850 pills of opioids. In Oyo State, two suspects were arrested with 99 litres of “skuchies”, while NDLEA destroyed 1,388kg of skunk in Edo State. In Kano, Aminu Isa, 35, was arrested with 30.5kg of skunk, and officers recovered 1.2kg of tramaking pills concealed in palm oil.

Meanwhile, NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy, delivering sensitisation lectures in schools across Oyo, Niger, Lagos, Katsina, Ekiti, and Kano.

Commending the officers, NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) praised their efforts in balancing drug supply reduction with demand reduction, stressing that the agency remains committed to dismantling drug networks and safeguarding communities nationwide.