NDLEA intercepts N3.4bn drugs, arrests fake police officer, mechanic-drug dealer

– Recovers over 1.3 million pills of opioids, 6,000kg skunk; nabs two teenagers with AK-47 rifles, pistol and ammunition in sweeps across Lagos, Edo, Niger, Delta, Abuja, Gombe, Imo and Ondo

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted over 1.3 million pills of tramadol and other opioids as well as 6,000 kilograms of potent strains of cannabis with a combined street value of more than N3.4 billion in a string of major operational breakthroughs across Lagos, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe, Imo and FCT.

Top on the line up of successful operations was the interception of 1,200 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis with a gross weight of 603.75 kilograms, valued at One Billion Eight Hundred and Eleven Million Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira, and the arrest of a trafficker who impersonates as a senior police officer to evade checkpoints while ferrying drugs across state lines.

The 49-year-old fake police officer Innocent Ekpe was arrested on Wednesday 16th September 2026 by NDLEA operatives along the Benin-Onitsha expressway in Asaba, Delta state with 292.48 kilograms of skunk hidden in his silver Toyota Sienna bus.

Investigation established that Ekpe had long paraded himself as Godwin Emeka, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, using a forged ID card to escape scrutiny at checkpoints while transporting illicit consignments.

Also, an accomplice, 39-year-old Nduka Joseph, was arrested along with him.

In Edo State, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence stormed a location on Agbor Road, Benin City, where they arrested 45-year-old Matthew Ossai, who used his auto-repair workshop as a front for storing illicit drugs.

Officers recovered 48 kilograms of Canadian Loud and 152 grams of methamphetamine, along with a metal box used to store the illicit substances.

At the Tin-Can Island Port in Lagos, a 40-foot container shipped from Montreal, Canada, which arrived on 12th September was placed under intensive monitoring by NDLEA operatives based on processed intelligence.

The shipment was eventually subjected to a full joint physical examination with Customs and other security agencies on Wednesday 16th September.

The search uncovered 1,200 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 603.75 kilograms, concealed inside 31 black jumbo bags loaded within two Toyota Sienna vehicles in the container.

In Niger State, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway at Chachi, Tafa LGA, on Tuesday 15th September arrested three young suspects: Bashir Usman (20), Abubakar Nuhu (18) and Abdulrahman Abdulwahab (18) with two locally fabricated AK-47 rifles and a magazine, a locally made pistol with magazine, and nine rounds of 9mm ammunition concealed in a black travel bag.

Also, two suspects: Aminu Isyaku (23) and Jamilu Habibu (25) were on Friday 18th September arrested by NDLEA officers along Abaji-Abuja highway with over 1.1 million assorted tramadol tablets/capsules, codeine syrup, methamphetamine and Exol tablets concealed in eight sacks en route from Onitsha, Anambra state to Mararaba, Nasarawa state.

In Lagos, a suspect, Onyeka Ofor was arrested on Friday 18th September at his residence in Aguda, Surulere with 48,900 pills of tramadol 225mg , while seven cartons of cannabis sativa weighing 59kg were intercepted at a logistics company with a suspect, Luke Ugokwe, taken into custody.

In another operation in Lagos, one Ibrahim Hudu (43) was arrested at Apongbo with 998.38kg of nitrous oxide gas on Thursday 17th September.

In another operation, a total of 154,480 capsules of tramadol were recovered from two suspects: Sabi’u Umar (27) and Hassana Muhammad (19) who were arrested at Barunde area and Gombe main market in Gombe state on Friday 18th September.

Another suspect, Ifesinachi Godwin (25), was arrested along the Owerri-Onitsha road, Imo state with 43.85kg of skunk on Friday 18th September, while four suspects: Blessing Effiong, Saviour Peter, David Friday Sunday and Ability Peter Sunday, were nabbed during raid and destruction of 5,000 kilograms of skunk on a two-hectare cannabis farm in Ita-Ogbolu forest, Ondo state on Tuesday 15th September.

No less than 48kg of dry and fresh cannabis was recovered from the location.