By EZEKIEL OBI, Abuja
In a sweeping series of operations, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a significant haul of illicit drugs cleverly disguised in everyday items, including alcoholic drink sachets, women’s handbags, and even black soap tablets.
These contraband packages were en route to destinations across Europe, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and South Africa.
One of the key seizures occurred at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, where NDLEA officers discovered 27,510 pills of rohypnol hidden in sachets of alcoholic beverages destined for South Africa.
The initial arrests of a freight agent and a cab driver led investigators to a breakthrough at Lagos’ Oyingbo market, where 46-year-old Samuel Omoruyi, also known as “Yellow,” was arrested on October 2 as the mastermind behind the operation.
That same day, operatives at the airport arrested Enehizena Augustine Uyimwen, a businessman based in Italy, who was caught attempting to smuggle 3,700 pills of tramadol (225mg) and 2,600 tablets of tapentadol (200mg) concealed within food items. Uyimwen admitted to trafficking the drugs on behalf of another individual for a payment of €945.
*Drug hauls across states*
In Edo State, a raid on Emmanuel Sunday’s residence in Ugbekpe Ekperi, Etsako Central LGA, uncovered 47kg of skunk, a potent variant of cannabis.
Over in Osun State, two suspects — Nureni Ayobami Eleweodo (48) and Oladejo Taiwo (52) — were arrested on October 8 at Omifufun village, Ife South LGA, following the discovery of 635kg of skunk in their Toyota Hiace bus (plate number DDA65ZY). Two others — Timothy Omiwole (41) and Isaac Achiatan (36) — were also picked up at the same location, with 100kg of skunk recovered along with their motorcycle.
In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Okoro Julius (20) and Onyebuchi Nwibo (25) were separately apprehended on October 10 with 8.5kg of skunk, while in Katsina, Sulaiman Kalalu (46) was busted the following day after officers found 29.5kg of the same substance in his Bayan Asiti home, Jibia town.
In Niger State, NDLEA arrested Yisa Daniel (29) in New Bussa on October 8 with a large stash of pharmaceuticals: 22,000 tramadol capsules, 800 ampoules of pentazocine, and 150,000 Exol-5 pills.
Other seizures included:
312kg of skunk recovered from a bush at Ologede camp in Ogbese, Ondo State
141.8kg of skunk seized along Benin-Lagos expressway from Francis John (39) and Adeyemi Taiwo (46)
In Kaduna, Rufai Ahmed (alias Farin Malam, 27) was caught at the Abuja/Kaduna toll gate ferrying 150,000 Exol-5 pills from Lagos to Katsina.
*War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) in Action*
Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA has continued to ramp up its WADA sensitization campaign, reaching students and communities across Nigeria. Schools impacted this past week include:
General Murtala Mohammed College, Yola (Adamawa)
Assembly of God Secondary School, Abakaliki (Ebonyi)
Community Girls Secondary School, Bakori (Katsina)
Girls Secondary School, Nenwe, Awgu LGA (Enugu)
Day Secondary School, Tungan Mallam, Paikoro LGA (Niger)
Sacred Heart Secondary School, Kabba (Kogi)
Ebenezer Model Secondary School, Onitsha (Anambra)
Government Secondary School, Borikiri (Rivers)
Government Junior Secondary School, Wakili Bawa, Ungoggo LGA (Kano)
Baptist High School, Ede (Osun)
Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, praised the dedication and results delivered by the agency’s teams in Lagos (MMIA), Kano (MAKIA, DOGI), Edo, Rivers, Kaduna, Katsina, Niger, Ondo, and Osun states.
He urged officers across Nigeria to remain committed, professional, and resilient in the collective fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
