By Precious Momoh
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) recently have intercepted substantial quantities of illicit drugs valued at over N16.6 billion in Lagos and Rivers State. The agency uncovered 26.25 million pills of tramadol and 508,400 bottles of codeine-based syrup, to stop a major drug distribution attempt.
This large-scale drug interception led to multiple arrests, including Tsolaye Eburajolo, a suspect apprehended in Lagos who reportedly attempted to offer officers a bribe of N10 million in exchange for his freedom.
The NDLEA confirmed that the interception included drugs found in multiple high-risk locations across Lagos. A substantial part of the classified drugs, included a synthetic cannabis strain known as “Loud” and an estimated 700 kilograms of methamphetamine, was seized in joint operations at Tincan and Onne ports on October 22nd and 23rd.
During the operation, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi emphasized the agency’s commitment to preventing narcotics trafficking in Nigeria. “Other illicit consignments intercepted during the joint inspection included 10 million tablets of Toradol Benzhexol,” Babafemi noted, as he pointed out the scope of operations.
Strategic Raids Across Key Locations
The agency’s operations extended across Lagos and beyond, including courier firm busts and domestic raids. In one such raid, officials uncovered concealed tramadol pills and other substances disguised in shoe soles bound for Cyprus. In another incident on October 12, officials seized over 2,000 tramadol pills hidden within shoes intended for export.
Follow-up investigations led them to Enugu, where an additional 380 tablets were recovered from the sender’s residence, revealing an expansive network of distribution.
NDLEA officers also conducted a major raid on October 25 at a shrine in the Alfa Beach area of Ajah, Lagos, discovering 2,760 kg of cannabis. Gbenga and Sunday Abiodun were among those apprehended at the shrine, along with another suspect found transporting 770 kg of cannabis along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Babafemi stressed that the agency’s proactive operations, bolstered by local intelligence, were essential to dismantling these drug syndicates and safeguarding communities from widespread drug misuse.
