In a major victory for Nigeria’s fight against drug trafficking, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully dismantled a dangerous trans-border drug cartel.
This operation, which spanned across multiple states, led to the arrest of four key suspects and the seizure of a staggering 190,960 pills of tramadol, with a street value running into millions of naira.
The crackdown, which was the result of weeks of meticulous intelligence gathering by the NDLEA’s Directorate of Intelligence, involved a series of well-coordinated operations across strategic locations.
On January 27, 2025, a Sienna bus with registration number ABJ 452 HG was intercepted along the Nasarawa-Toto road in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
The vehicle was en route from Onitsha, Anambra State, and heading to Yola, Adamawa State. Two suspects, Zahradeen Adamu (27) and Abubakar Usman (44), were arrested. A second Sienna bus, driven by 48-year-old Abba Usman, was also apprehended, revealing hidden steel compartments containing the massive haul of tramadol pills.
A detailed search of the vehicles uncovered the tramadol stash ingeniously concealed behind the bumper and in the spare tyre compartments.
Further investigation led authorities to an Onitsha-based drug dealer, Kingsley Mbaeri, who was arrested at his residence on January 29. Mbaeri’s home yielded two vehicles, a Toyota Corolla and a Toyota Sienna, both used in the cartel’s illicit activities.
But that wasn’t all—the NDLEA’s success didn’t stop there. In another bold move, NDLEA operatives in Abuja intercepted a commercial bus coming from Onitsha on February 4 at the Abaji checkpoint.
Inside the bag of a passenger, 32-year-old Chimezie Henry Ojingwa, officers found a chilling collection of illegal substances: 404.47 grams of methamphetamine, 506.49 grams of Loud (a potent strain of cannabis), and 262.32 grams of dimethyl sulfone, a precursor chemical used in methamphetamine production.
Other significant drug busts include:
- Cross River State: 170,000 tramadol pills seized from a truck on the Ogoja-Abakaliki road on February 13.
- Lagos: 85,400 bottles of codeine-based syrup seized at Apapa port on February 11 from an imported container from India.
- Borno State: 60 compressed blocks of skunk (72kg) were seized on February 14.
- Ekiti State: Three suspects were arrested with 83kg of skunk in Ikole-Ekiti on February 11.
- Lagos: Samiat Olabisi Yussuf, 28, was arrested on February 15 in Lekki with 169.5 litres of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and 111 grams of Loud.
- Taraba State: Ibrahim Usman (40) and Solomon James (40) were caught with 132.84kg of Arizona and Ghana Loud.
This major operation is a significant blow to drug cartels operating across the country, with the NDLEA’s Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praising the officers involved in these arrests for their dedication and urging them to continue their relentless efforts to combat drug trafficking.
Additionally, the NDLEA’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign is in full swing, bringing vital awareness to schools, workplaces, and religious centers across Nigeria.
These recent busts, alongside the NDLEA’s ongoing campaign, send a strong message: the war against drugs is intensifying, and those seeking to poison the future of Nigeria will face the full force of the law.
