…NDLEA seizes tonnes of cannabis, opioids and cocaine in nationwide raids
By HeapNews
Nigeria’s anti-narcotics agency has arrested a 93-year-old man and a 69-year-old medical doctor among dozens of suspects as it intensified a nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking networks, seizing large quantities of cannabis, cocaine and opioids.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said on Sunday that the arrests followed intelligence-led operations across multiple states targeting both local dealers and international syndicates.
In Abia state, operatives arrested 93-year-old Friday Ahukanna Chigbu at his residence, where 7.7 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, were recovered. The suspect told investigators he had used the drug for decades before turning to its sale about a year ago.
The agency said it also uncovered links to an international drug ring after arresting Ivorian national Gohouri Michael at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport with 1.49 kilograms of cocaine concealed in 82 wraps as he prepared to board a flight to Milan.
Further investigation led to the arrest of a 69-year-old doctor, Chudi Daniel Ofomata, in Ogun state, whom NDLEA described as a key figure directing the trafficking operation. Authorities recovered controlled substances including promazepam and promethazine from his residence.
Across the country, multiple raids yielded further seizures. In Ogun state, three suspects were arrested with 34 kilograms of cannabis, while in Imo state a 26-year-old woman was found with 56.2 kilograms of the same substance.
In Niger state, a couple was detained after 118 kilograms of cannabis were discovered in their home, while officers in Borno state intercepted a shipment containing tens of thousands of tablets of Rohypnol and large volumes of codeine syrup and pentazocine concealed in a trailer.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted a commercial bus along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway carrying 15 kilograms of “Scottish Loud,” a potent cannabis strain, and arrested two suspects. A separate operation in the Mushin area led to the seizure of 26,800 bottles of codeine syrup.
Authorities also reported a major haul in Edo state, where two trucks carrying a combined 7,245 kilograms of cannabis hidden among cartons of beer were intercepted en route to Abuja. Five suspects were arrested in connection with the shipment.
In the capital, Abuja, eight suspects were detained during a raid on a known drug hub, with more than 11 kilograms of cannabis recovered.
NDLEA Chairman Mohamed Buba Marwa commended officers involved in the operations and said the agency would continue to balance enforcement with prevention through its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, which includes public sensitisation programmes across schools and communities.
The latest operations highlight the scale of Nigeria’s drug trafficking challenge, with authorities increasingly targeting both supply networks and local consumption.