Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have uncovered several attempts by drug trafficking networks to smuggle illicit substances concealed in unusual items, including carton walls, winter jackets, and body cream containers, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and a Lagos-based courier company.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, two consignments bound for Italy were intercepted at the Lagos airport, leading to the arrest of suspects connected to the shipments.
The statement partly read, “Two of the consignments heading to Italy were to be moved through the Lagos airport where two suspects linked to the shipments were promptly arrested.
“One of them, 37-year-old Friday Ehianuka, was going to Rome, Italy on Friday, March 20, 2026, when he was intercepted while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight with 2,698 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed in containers of skin-lightening body cream, all packed in the suspect’s luggage.
“In his statement, Ehianuka, who is a resident of Milan, confirmed that he was to be paid a negotiated fee in Euros if he had succeeded in trafficking the consignment to Italy.”
In a separate operation on March 18, NDLEA officers at the airport’s departure hall also apprehended another passenger, Christian Agbonhese, who was preparing to board a Lufthansa flight to Milan.
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A search of his belongings revealed a large quantity of opioids hidden in winter jackets.
“No fewer than 23,150 pills of tramadol 225mg; 4,000 tablets of tapentadol 250mg; and 1,320 pills of tramadol 100mg, all concealed in two large winter jackets, bringing the total number of opioids recovered from him to 28,470 pills. The 38-year-old Agbonhese is also a resident of Milan,” the statement added.
Beyond the airport, NDLEA operatives also intercepted illicit drugs at a courier firm in Lagos. Babafemi disclosed that on March 16, two parcels containing 1kg of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, were seized after being shipped from the United States.
“Also thwarted was an attempt to export 158 grams of methamphetamine concealed in the walls of a carton to New Zealand,” he said.
The agency carried out additional operations across the country. In Kano State, officers arrested Abdulkadir Mamuda with 102.5kg of skunk and Uche Johnson Festus with 95.5kg of the same substance.
In Lagos, a raid at the Otto area of Ijora led to the recovery of 21,737 bottles of codeine-based syrup, while two suspects, Chidiebere Anigbogu and Paul Nwagbara, were arrested on the Third Mainland Bridge with 8,380 bottles of the substance.
In Edo State, operatives recovered 97.5kg of skunk from the residence of Akeem Idde in Ojah, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area.
In the Federal Capital Territory, officers intercepted a commercial bus along the Gwagwalada Expressway, uncovering 91,840 pills of tramadol hidden in the vehicle’s compartments, leading to the arrest of the driver, Aminu Ali.
Further operations in Oyo State saw the arrest of Bankole Bari with 71.2kg of skunk allegedly smuggled through the Oyan River from Benin Republic. Along the Kaduna-Zaria Highway, operatives recovered 586,000 pills of tramadol and Exol-5 from Lawal Anas, while 7,290 tablets of tramadol were seized from Musa Shuaibu.
In Taraba State, Aliyu Adamu was apprehended with 77,660 capsules of tramadol, while in Adamawa State, six suspects — Ramatu Aliyu, Jungudo Abdullahi, Najid Abdullahi, Musa Mohammed, Usman Abdulrahim, and Musa Mohammed — were arrested in connection with the seizure of 82.8kg of tramadol in Yola.
The agency added that its commands nationwide have intensified sensitisation campaigns under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative, targeting schools, religious centres, and communities.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Buba Marwa, commended officers across various commands for their efforts, urging them to sustain the balanced strategy in tackling drug-related crimes.