The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded one of its biggest breakthroughs yet, seizing cocaine worth ₦5.3 billion and codeine valued at ₦1.1 billion in separate raids. The agency described the haul as a major victory in its ongoing war against international drug syndicates.
According to NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, the operation began on August 26, 2025, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. Officers intercepted 76 cartons of textile materials headed for Sydney, Australia. Hidden inside were 17.9kg of cocaine cleverly packed into lace fabrics, alongside local charms allegedly meant to shield traffickers from detection.
The first arrest was that of a freight agent, Olashupo Michael Oladimeji. His capture led investigators to two more cartel leaders in Lagos—Muaezee Ademola Ogunbiyi and Shola Adegoke. Ogunbiyi, described as the syndicate’s Nigerian coordinator, had previously served 14 years in the UK for murder. Adegoke, on the other hand, was jailed in Britain in 2021 for meth trafficking before being deported in 2024. NDLEA sources say the intercepted cocaine shipment could have fetched over $5.3 million (₦5.3 billion) on the streets of Sydney.
In Rivers State, operatives also discovered a massive pharmaceutical cargo. During a joint examination at Onne Port on September 4, NDLEA and Customs officers uncovered a 40ft container loaded with 160,200 bottles of codeine syrup, estimated at over ₦1.1 billion.
The crackdown extended nationwide. In Abuja, a dispatch rider was caught with 3.1kg of Colorado, while in Lagos, two suspects were arrested with over 625kg of Loud, Colos, and Colorado. Raids in Kogi, Edo, Kaduna, Anambra, Niger, and Taraba also yielded major seizures. Notably, in Taraba’s Ardo Kola LGA, NDLEA destroyed 18.7 tonnes of cannabis plants spread across 7.5 hectares, arresting two farm owners in the process.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), commended his officers for their relentless efforts, stressing that the war against drug abuse and trafficking is far from over. He urged Nigerians to support the agency’s “War Against Drug Abuse (WADA)” initiative, combining enforcement with advocacy.
