The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Sunday said its operatives intercepted 500 grammes of cocaine concealed in the pages of religious books and bound for Saudi Arabia at a courier company located in Lagos State.
The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement released on Sunday, noting that the illicit drug was intercepted on April 15.
He added that 2.8 kilogrammes of cannabis and a strain of Loud were intercepted at another courier firm in Lagos on the same day.
Babafemi said, “Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted a shipment of cocaine concealed in 20 sets of religious books going to Saudi Arabia.
“The cocaine consignment, consisting of 20 parcels with a total weight of 500 grammes and buried in the pages of the religious books, was uncovered at a courier company in Lagos on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, when NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation were searching through export cargoes going to Saudi Arabia at the logistics firm.
“At another courier company the same day, NDLEA officers intercepted five parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 2.8 kilogrammes, hidden in a carton coming from the United States of America.”
Babafemi also disclosed that no fewer than 10 suspects were arrested during various operations carried out by its operatives across the country.
Among the suspects was a suspected bandit supplier identified as Muhammad Mohammed, who was arrested in Kano, while another suspect, Mohammed Abdulaziz, was arrested with 68 blocks of skunk.
He continued, “In Kano, a 22-year-old supplier of illicit substances to bandits, Muhammad Mohammed, has been arrested by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bichi-Kano Road while heading to Katsina with 277 ampoules of pentazocine injection tied to his thigh and private part with Sellotape.
“He was intercepted on Sunday, April 13, while another suspect, Mohammed Abdulrahman Abdulaziz, 43, was nabbed the same day at Research Rimin Kebe area of Nasarawa, Kano, with 68 blocks of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 30kg.”
Babafemi added that “not less than 557.2kg of skunk, 5.6kg of methamphetamine and 29.8 grammes of heroin were recovered from a house along Major General Isaiah Allison Street, Opolo, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, where four suspects were arrested when NDLEA operatives raided the premises on Wednesday, April 16.
“The four suspects arrested during the raid include: Sarimiye Suwa Kurtis, 46; Roland Prosper, 34; Sarimiye Tare Paul, 45; and Fidelis Ugbesla, 46.”
Babafemi said that a driver was arrested after its operatives recovered about 1,100kg of skunk from a delivery van in Lagos, while one Ike Ani was arrested in Kaduna at a hideout with 31,950 pills of Tramadol 225mg and Diazepam.
The NDLEA spokesperson stated that three suspects, Abubakar Ibrahim, 50; Mustapha Aliyu, 32; and Bashar Lawali, 28, were arrested in connection with the seizure of 97kg of skunk concealed in sacks of charcoal in Kebbi.
“A 48-year-old, Okafor Marcel, was nabbed with 11.5kg of skunk at Abatete, Anambra State, while NDLEA operatives in Osogbo, Osun State, on Tuesday, April 15, arrested Ajala Mercy, 27, with 43 litres of skushi, a mixture of blackcurrant, cannabis, and opioids, recovered from her room at Dada Estate, Halleluyah area of the state capital.
“Two cannabis farms in Egbeta Forest, Ovia North East LGA, Edo State, were raided by NDLEA operatives, who destroyed 3,717.8625kg of the psychoactive plant on 1.487145 hectares and recovered 136.5kg of processed cannabis.
“At the Tincan seaport in Lagos, a suspect, Basorun Usman Kayode, 40, who had been at large for two years, was arrested by NDLEA officers in connection with the seizure of 107kg of Loud imported from Canada in 2023, while another suspect, Dauda Yakubu, who distributes illicit drugs within the seaport community, was arrested by a team of operatives on Monday, April 14,” Babafemi concluded.
The PUNCH
