Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted more than 1.3 million tablets and capsules of tramadol and other opioids, as well as about 6,000 kilograms of cannabis, with a combined street value of over N3.4 billion in intelligence-driven operations across eight states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The operations, which were conducted in Lagos, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe, Imo and the FCT, also led to the arrest of a 49-year-old man accused of impersonating a senior police officer to evade security checks while transporting illicit drugs.
According to Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, the agency also arrested a mechanic accused of using his auto-repair workshop as a cover for drug storage, while three young men were apprehended in Niger State with two locally fabricated AK-47 rifles, a pistol and nine rounds of ammunition.
A major seizure involved 1,200 parcels of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, weighing 603.75kg and valued at N1.811 billion.
The consignment was intercepted at the Tin-Can Island Port, Lagos, after NDLEA operatives placed a 40-foot container shipped from Montreal, Canada, under surveillance based on intelligence.
During a joint physical examination with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, operatives discovered the parcels concealed inside 31 black jumbo bags loaded into two Toyota Sienna vehicles within the container.
In Delta state, NDLEA operatives arrested 49-year-old Innocent Ekpe along the Benin-Onitsha Expressway in Asaba on September 16 with 292.48kg of skunk concealed in a silver Toyota Sienna bus.
The agency said preliminary investigation revealed that Ekpe allegedly paraded himself as Godwin Emeka, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, using a forged police identity card to evade scrutiny at checkpoints while transporting illicit consignments.
A 39-year-old alleged accomplice, Nduka Joseph, was also arrested.
In Edo State, operatives acting on intelligence raided a location on Agbor Road, Benin City, where they arrested 45-year-old Matthew Ossai.
Ossai allegedly used his auto-repair workshop as a cover for storing illicit drugs. NDLEA said 48kg of Canadian Loud and 152 grammes of methamphetamine were recovered from the premises, alongside a metal box allegedly used for storing the substances.
In Niger State, three suspects including Bashir Usman, 20; Abubakar Nuhu, 18; and Abdulrahman Abdulwahab, 18, were arrested along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway at Chachi, Tafa Local Government Area, on September 15, 2026.
They were allegedly found with two locally fabricated AK-47 rifles and a magazine, a locally made pistol and magazine, as well as nine rounds of 9mm ammunition concealed in a black travel bag.
Along the Abaji-Abuja highway, NDLEA officers on September 18, 2026 arrested Aminu Isyaku, 23, and Jamilu Habibu, 25, and recovered more than 1.1 million assorted tramadol tablets and capsules, codeine syrup, methamphetamine and Exol tablets.
The drugs were allegedly concealed in eight sacks and were being transported from Onitsha, Anambra state, to Mararaba, Nasarawa state.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested Onyeka Ofor at his residence in Aguda, Surulere, on September 18 with 48,900 pills of tramadol 225mg.
At a logistics company, seven cartons of cannabis sativa weighing 59kg were also intercepted, with Luke Ugokwe arrested in connection with the consignment.
Another suspect, 43-year-old Ibrahim Hudu, was arrested at Apongbo on September 17, 2026 with 998.38kg of nitrous oxide gas.
In Gombe state, 154,480 capsules of tramadol were recovered from two suspects, Sabi’u Umar, 27, and Hassana Muhammad, 19, who were arrested at Barunde and Gombe main market respectively on September 18.
In Imo state, NDLEA operatives arrested 25-year-old Ifesinachi Godwin along the Owerri-Onitsha Road with 43.85kg of skunk.
In Ondo state, four suspects identified as Blessing Effiong, Saviour Peter, David Friday Sunday and Ability Peter Sunday, were arrested during a raid and destruction of a two-hectare cannabis farm at Ita-Ogbolu forest.
The agency said about 5,000kg of skunk was destroyed at the farm, while 48kg of dry and fresh cannabis was recovered for prosecution.