The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully intercepted a staggering 26,250,000 pills of tramadol and 508,400 bottles of codeine-based syrup, with a total street value of N16,683,800,000.
These significant drug seizures were made during a comprehensive joint examination of watch-listed containers conducted alongside the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other security agencies at the Tincan Port in Lagos and Port Harcourt Port in Onne, Rivers State, on October 22 and 23, 2024.
In addition to the tramadol and codeine, the NDLEA discovered other illegal substances during the inspections, including 10 million tablets of Toradol Benzhexol and 28 plastic drums containing 700 kg of methamphetamine at the Tincan and Onne ports.
They also recovered 56 parcels of “Loud,” a synthetic strain of cannabis, weighing 28 kg from a container that arrived in Lagos from Canada.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi reported that a suspect, 40-year-old Tsolaye Eburajolo, was apprehended in connection with the cannabis seizure at the Ago Palace area of Okota, Lagos.
Notably, a bribe of N10 million was allegedly offered to NDLEA officers to release Eburajolo, which has now been retained as part of the evidence for prosecution.
Furthermore, the agency intercepted consignments of opioids hidden in the soles of shoes and hair attachments destined for the United States, United Kingdom, and Cyprus.
A total of 2,118 pills of tramadol concealed within the soles of 13 pairs of shoes were seized at the Lagos airport on October 12, 2024. During a follow-up operation in Enugu on October 24, an additional 380 tablets were found in the home of the sender, Okenwa Kelvin Uchenna, along with N968,880 in cash and a Toyota Avalon car.
In a separate operation on October 24, NDLEA officers intercepted “not less than 293 ampoules” of promethazine and pentazocine injection, along with 1.690 kg of cannabis and tramadol concealed in hair attachments and shoe soles at three courier companies in Lagos.
Additionally, on October 25, NDLEA operatives raided the Igbo-Igunuko shrine at Alfa Beach, Ajah, where they seized jumbo bags of Ghanaian Loud cannabis weighing 2,760 kg and arrested two suspects, Gbenga Abiodun and Sunday Abiodun.
That same day, another suspect, Ademola Oyelakin, was apprehended with 770 kg of the same drug along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The NDLEA also uncovered a clandestine drug storage facility at the home of Muhammad Warnos Abdullahi in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos. The raid on October 25 resulted in the recovery of 11,786 pills of tramadol, molly, rohypnol, and diazepam, as well as 64 bottles of codeine syrup.
The agency noted, “The suspect dug the illicit drug storage deep in his room, covered it with padlocked iron slate, a rug, and then put his mattress on top to avoid detection.”.
