The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has achieved remarkable successes in recent operations aimed at curbing drug trafficking in Nigeria. A significant case involved the capture of 42-year-old Angolan entrepreneur Mbala Dajou Abuba at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano. He was trying to smuggle a large amount of cocaine, which he had ingested, on a flight to Istanbul, Turkey.
This arrest occurred on February 25, 2025, as Abuba was about to board Egypt Air flight MS 880. After a body scan confirmed that he had ingested drugs, authorities monitored him until he expelled 120 pellets of cocaine, with a total weight of 1.829 kilograms.
In another case, NDLEA operatives thwarted a similar drug trafficking attempt by auto spare parts seller Okeke Ebuka Igwe. He was taken into custody on February 24 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos while attempting to ship two parcels, containing 1.10 kg of cocaine hidden in vehicle propellers, to Angola.
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Additionally, Ezechi Iyke Cyprian was apprehended on February 23 while trying to transport 5.40 kilograms of cocaine to Owerri, Imo State, in his Toyota Sienna van. This operation was the result of weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance.
On February 28, NDLEA agents found 128 parcels of Canadian Loud, a potent cannabis variety, concealed in mattresses inside a Toyota Venza imported from Canada at the Tincan Seaport in Lagos. The shipment contained 63.75 kilograms of the drug, leading to the arrest of the consignee, 44-year-old Bamidele Joseph.
In Delta State, a raid on February 27 resulted in the destruction of over 50,000 kilograms of cannabis on a 20-hectare farm in the Innam-Abbi/Orogun community, with five suspects being detained during the operation.
Furthermore, on February 28, NDLEA operatives intercepted a Mercedes-Benz truck on the Abraka-Orogun road, seizing 101 bags of skunk weighing a total of 1,111 kilograms. In Borno State, Mustapha Shettima was arrested with 31 kilograms of skunk and 1,000 tramadol pills on February 26, while Adamu Idris was caught with 140 blocks of cannabis totaling 73.5 kilograms in Kano the same day.
The NDLEA has also been involved in drug awareness initiatives, organizing sensitization events in schools, religious centers, and communities. Recently, presentations have been made to students and staff at various educational institutions across Lagos, Anambra, and Kano states.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, commended the agency’s operatives across different commands for their accomplishments in fighting drug trafficking and promoting drug abuse prevention through a balanced strategy that addresses both supply and demand.
