The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have intercepted a Saudi Arabia-bound consignment of cannabis concealed in a gallon of palm oil at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport and seized 8,725 kilogrammes of powdered tramadol worth over ₦6.98 billion at the Apapa Port in Lagos.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy.

According to the statement, the operations also led to the seizure of large consignments of illicit drugs across several states and the arrest of dozens of suspects, including an 85-year-old woman in Edo State.

At the Kano airport, NDLEA operatives on Friday, October 16, intercepted a female passenger, Fatimah Ahmad, during the outward clearance of an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, via Addis Ababa.

A search revealed 511.75 grammes of cannabis, also known as skunk, concealed in a gallon of palm oil. The statement said Ahmad told operatives that her cousin, Abubakar Yahaya, gave her the gallon. He was subsequently arrested at the airport car park.

At the Apapa Port in Lagos, a joint examination involving the NDLEA, the Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies uncovered a shipment of powdered tramadol from India on October 2. The consignment had been declared as maize starch.

A confirmatory test at the NDLEA forensic laboratory identified the substance as tramadol hydrochloride powder. When separated from its concealment on Wednesday, October 14, the shipment comprised 349 bags weighing 8,725 kilogrammes, with an estimated street value exceeding ₦6.98 billion.

In a separate operation at the Tin Can Island Port on Monday, October 12, officers recovered 55 kilogrammes of Canadian Loud, valued at ₦165 million, concealed in a Toyota Sienna vehicle inside a 40-foot container.

The agency also raided 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 from her store.

Two men, Idowu Daudu, 35, and Ahmed Oniyinde, 35, were arrested in Mushin the following day with 59.95 kilogrammes and 61.23 kilogrammes of skunk, respectively.

In another operation, NDLEA operatives intercepted a truck travelling from Trade Fair Market along Iyana Oba on October 15. Two suspects, identified as Tajudeen Adeduntan, a loading manager, and his assistant, Azeez Sikiru, were arrested after officers recovered 18,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in cartons labelled as Rambo insecticide.

In Edo State, operatives raided Warake, Ivhiaro and Ewe/Irue communities in Owan East Local Government Area between October 15 and 16, arresting six suspects and recovering various quantities of cannabis and other substances.

Among those arrested was 85-year-old Grace Ehimeka, who was allegedly found with 179 kilogrammes of skunk at Warake. Other suspects included Ayo Aigberadion, 53, with 220.8 kilogrammes at Ewe/Irue; Ali Garba, 57, with 5.852 kilogrammes; Habib Braimoh, 45, with 100 grammes; Musa Mubid, 35, with two kilogrammes of cannabis, cannabis seeds, tramadol, Swinol and diazepam; and Hope Okoro, 35, with 237 grammes of Loud.

In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, October 17, raided a cannabis farm in the Okemoro Isinbode camp forest and destroyed 7,500 kilogrammes of skunk cultivated on three hectares of land.

Five suspects were arrested during the operation. Recovered exhibits included 92 bags of skunk weighing 1,267 kilogrammes, 11 kilogrammes of cannabis seeds and three kilogrammes of fresh stems, bringing the total weight of the recovered exhibits to 1,281 kilogrammes.

In a separate operation in Owo, officers tracked 53-year-old Okunebe Ndidi to his hideout in Ameyinti on October 16 and recovered 25 bags of cannabis weighing 375 kilogrammes.

In Bauchi State, operatives intercepted a Volkswagen Golf wagon driven by 35-year-old Shamsu Garba at Ragwam village in Katagum Local Government Area on October 14, recovering 894,800 pills of tramadol capsules and Exol-5 tablets.

The same day, officers on patrol along the Bauchi-Gombe Road recovered 291 blocks of cannabis weighing 265 kilogrammes from an abandoned vehicle at Tudun Natsira village.

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.

Another suspect, 54-year-old Murtala Dayyabu, was arrested at Niger Street, Malan Kato, on October 14 with 100,000 tablets of Exol-5.

In Kaduna State, a raid at Kayimi village led to the arrest of Mohammed Sani, 48, Zaharadeen Shafiu, 29, and Yakubu Abdullahi, 20, with 496.5 kilogrammes of cannabis.

At Food Palace on Ali Akilu Road, Kaduna, operatives arrested John Ayo David, 39, with 49,500 tablets of tramadol 225mg. In Abuja, a 42-year-old suspect, Odo Jonas Ejike, was arrested in the Utako area on Saturday, October 17, with 29,500 capsules of tramadol.

No fewer than five people have were killed after a diesel tanker crashed into several vehicles along the Iwo Road-Ojoo Expressway in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

According to reports, the sad incident occurred around 10 am on Saturday at Aduloju Bus Stop, opposite Dominion City, and involved a fully loaded diesel tanker and Nissan Micra commercial cars, among other vehicles.

Adeoye Ayoade, General Manager of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority,  confirmed the incident.

Ayoade said the accident was triggered by a traffic build-up following the breakdown of a long trailer carrying motor spare parts around Arilogu at about 5 am.

 He said, “A long trailer carrying motor spare parts broke down at the Arilogu area around 5 am. They said the driver was taken to the hospital while they were waiting for the vehicle that would transload it. So, the traffic started building up there, causing a long traffic.

“The tanker carrying diesel lost its brake and fell. About six vehicles were involved in the crash, both private cars and Micra. The tank on the truck then rolled on top of one of the Micra.

“The five people inside the Micra, two males including the driver at the front and three females sitting at the back, died.”

The Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, who also confirmed the unfortunate incident, said the accident occurred around Kajorepo.

Ayanlade said the state Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, immediately directed the Divisional Police Officer in Kajorepo and other nearby patrol teams to secure the scene and rescue those involved.

He said, “Yes, there was an accident earlier today at around Kajorepo. Immediately, this report got to the command, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Police Command, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, directed the DPO Kajorepo and other nearby patrols to secure the scene and rescue those involved.”

The OYRTMA GM said the bodies of the victims had been deposited at the Adeoyo Hospital Mortuary, while the damaged vehicles were towed to a police station.

He added that personnel of OYRTMA, the Federal Road Safety Corps and the police were deployed to the scene to manage the situation and restore traffic.

The accident caused heavy gridlock along the busy route as traffic officials directed motorists and worked to clear the obstruction.

However, Ayoade said the affected vehicles had been removed from the road, and traffic had been restored on the route.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have arrested a South African, Gebashe Sithandiwe Jessie, with 30 parcels of Thai Loud, a strain of cannabis, weighing 32.74 kilogrammes, at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the drugs were concealed in two travelling bags.

The statement added that the suspect travelled from Thailand through Doha aboard Qatar Airways flight QR1431.

“She confessed to having previously trafficked through other African countries, and was expanding her route to Port Harcourt when she was caught.”

Similarly, NDLEA operatives at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted a shipment of 354,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg weighing 307.20kg from Pakistan.

Babafemi said the consignment arrived aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight on September 29 and was placed under surveillance before a joint examination on Tuesday, October 6, uncovered the drugs in nine cartons.

In a separate operation at the Lagos airport, NDLEA officers intercepted 70 parcels of Colorado, a synthetic cannabinoid, weighing 75.90kg in six Ghana-Must-Go bags contained in a consolidated cargo from the United Kingdom.

The statement said the shipment was monitored after arriving on September 29.

A clearing agent, John Edrah, 54, was arrested on September 30, while an Uber driver, Taofiq Ajibola, 54, was apprehended while collecting one of the bags at a logistics company in Mafoluku, Oshodi.

The agency said Adetunji Adebayo and Kazeem Damola Dosunmu, 48, a clothing trader, were subsequently arrested when they came to collect the remaining five bags.

According to Babafemi, Ajibola said the drugs were sent by a UK-based associate, Lukman Sa’idu, while Dosunmu claimed his consignment came from another UK-based man identified as Yusuf.

In Cross River State, NDLEA operatives arrested 46-year-old Adama Inuwa at Iyala Nkun village, Ikom Local Government Area, on Sunday, October 4, following surveillance.

Babafemi said the operation led to the recovery of 181 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 1,100kg and 17.15kg of cannabis seeds.

In Edo State, officers intercepted a black Toyota Camry conveying 1,049 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 702.83kg at Otuo, Owan East Local Government Area, on Monday, October 5.

The agency said Monday Orji, 52; Monday Lawal, 40; and Precious Uduegele, 20, were arrested in connection with the seizure.

In a separate raid at Asoro, off Sakponba Road, Benin City, operatives arrested 26-year-old Ojugo Mercy with 989 grammes of Loud, 13 grammes of Colorado and 83 grammes of methamphetamine.

In Ondo State, a 21-year-old suspect, Happy Endurance, was arrested at her hideout in the Shasha area of Akure on October 5, with 29 bags of cannabis weighing 290kg.

The statement added that a separate raid on an apartment at Oba-Ile, Akure, on the same day led to the arrest of 42-year-old Tunde Adebayo, with 35 bags of cannabis weighing 351kg.

In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives, supported by soldiers, arrested Abdulrasheed Mohamed, 31, and Abubakar Saidu, 37, at Chanchanji village, Wukari Local Government Area, on Friday, October 9.

Babafemi said the suspects were found with 166,200 tablets of tramadol 225mg weighing 107kg.

In Kano State, a stop-and-search operation along the Kano-Maiduguri Road on October 9 led to the arrest of 32-year-old Yahaya Musa with 24,990 capsules of tramadol, 50,000 tablets of diazepam and 22,000 tablets of Exol-5.

In Kaduna State, operatives on patrol along the Zaria-Kaduna Expressway arrested 29-year-old Mohammed Musa with 31 jumbo bags and 775 blocks of skunk weighing a combined 1,027kg.

The agency also arrested Musbau Balogun Adekunle in Orile, Lagos, on Tuesday, October 6, with 32.51kg of skunk and 52.65kg of cannabis seeds, bringing the total seizure to 85.16kg.

In Plateau State, NDLEA operatives raided the residence of 45-year-old Christian Chukwudi Uju at Rukuba Road, Jos, on Thursday, October 8, recovering methamphetamine, firearms and ammunition.

According to the statement, the items seized included 47 grammes of methamphetamine, two pump-action rifles, one locally made gun, 199 live cartridges, five rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and one round of 9mm ammunition.

The agency said its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaign also continued across the country, with lectures delivered to students and staff of schools in Oyo, Ebonyi, Niger, Kano, Lagos and Ogun states.

Among the institutions reached were Progressive Grammar School, Tede, Oyo State; Eghugo Technical College, Afikpo, Ebonyi State; Baptist High School, Lambata, Niger State; and Ipara Senior and Junior Community Secondary School, Badagry, Lagos State.

Commending officers involved in the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised personnel of the Lagos, MMIA, PHIA, Taraba, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Cross River, Ondo and Plateau Commands.

Babafemi said Marwa commended the officers “for their professionalism and intelligence-driven approach to the various successful operations” and urged them “to continue with the current balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.”