NDLEA smashes N1.04bn drug ring in Lagos, arrests three suspects
…Agency seizes massive shipment of cannabis, intercepts Saudi-bound cocaine
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully dismantled a significant drug distribution network, recovering illicit substances worth ¦ 1.042 billion after a high-profile raid on a luxury hotel in Lagos.
The operation, conducted between the night of April 25 and the early hours of April 26, 2025, targeted The Hook Hotel, a five-storey establishment located on Waziri Ibrahim Street in Victoria Island.
According to NDLEA sources, the raid uncovered 589 bags of “Canadian Loud” cannabis, amounting to 417.3 kilograms. This seizure is considered one of the largest of the potent cannabis strain in recent years, with an estimated street value of ¦ 1,042,500,000.
Femi Babafemi, the agency’s spokesman, confirmed that three individuals, Eze Ayitu, Ofuokwu Samuel, and Emmanuel Ameh, were arrested during the operation. Two other suspects, Noble Philip and his associate Kenneth, remain at large.
The operation also resulted in the seizure of several luxury vehicles, including a Toyota Prado, a Volkswagen Delivery Van, and a Grand Caravan Dodge, all believed to be linked to the illegal drug trade.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), Chairman and CEO of the NDLEA, remarked: “Operations like this are critical in our ongoing fight against drug trafficking. We remain committed to ensuring those profiting from the destruction of lives through illegal drugs face justice.”
The NDLEA’s Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) expanded its efforts on April 23 with a successful interception at a Lagos courier firm, preventing an international drug smuggling attempt. Operatives seized 46 wraps of cocaine concealed inside body creams, destined for Saudi Arabia. The same day, they intercepted a shipment to Canada containing 1.8kg of pentazocine injections and 60 grams of bromazepam tablets.
Further operations in the north resulted in a major disruption of a transnational opioid shipment in Jigawa State. Two suspects, Abba Ibrahim and Shuaibu Umar, were arrested with a Toyota Sienna vehicle loaded with 200,000 tramadol pills and 217,500 pregabalin capsules. Intelligence led to the arrest of Jamilu Muhammad in Kano, who was found with an additional 2 million opioid pills.
The NDLEA also intercepted three Ghanaian women at the Seme Border in Badagry, Lagos, attempting to smuggle 4.8 kilograms of “Ghana Loud” cannabis into Nigeria. The women, aged 26 to 42, were arrested and are facing cross-border trafficking charges.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives destroyed 3,814.9 kilograms of cannabis on April 24 following a raid on farms in Ugbodu community. Three local suspects were apprehended, highlighting the scale of illicit drug production in Nigeria.
“These operations show the diverse nature of drug trafficking in Nigeria, from international shipments to local production and distribution,” Brig. Gen. Marwa said. “Our strategy is comprehensive, addressing both supply and demand.”
He also praised the agency’s officers and expressed gratitude for the ongoing efforts of the NDLEA’s nationwide War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy, which engages communities through sensitisation programmes.
