The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized opioids and other narcotics worth over ₦3.4 billion in coordinated operations across Lagos and Port Harcourt, arresting key suspects and thwarting multiple smuggling attempts.

According to a statement issued by NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the bulk of the seizures occurred at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State, during a joint inspection on Tuesday, 29 April 2025.

“No fewer than 3,500,000 pills of opioids and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup with combined street value of over ₦3,428,000,000.00 were intercepted in Lagos and Port Harcourt,” Babafemi stated.

The operation led to the seizure of 2 million pills of tafrodol 225mg and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup from a container flagged for inspection by NDLEA, Customs, and other security agencies.

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives recovered 1.5 million pills of controlled opioids from a suspect, Olarenwaju Wahab, at Alaba-Rago in Ojo. Investigations traced the origin of the consignment to a residence in Victoria Garden City, Lekki, belonging to Obinna Kenneth, who is now on the run.

At Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, NDLEA intercepted 42 parcels of Canadian Loud—20kg of high-grade cannabis—concealed in chocolate tins and other packaged food items from a British Airways flight from Canada. The agency arrested three suspects, including Monsurat Ewawunmi Lawson, the alleged receiver of the shipment.

On Friday, 2 May, Bobby Morris Osas, a businessman, was arrested while attempting to board a Turkish Airlines flight to Italy. “A thorough search of his luggage led to the seizure of 8,130 pills of tramadol 225mg, 200mg and 100mg,” the NDLEA stated.

In another foiled attempt, NDLEA officers stopped a syndicate from smuggling 104 grams of tramadol and skunk disguised in body cream bottles to Iraq via a courier service in Lagos.

On the Kaduna-Zaria expressway, operatives intercepted a commercial vehicle on Saturday, 3 May, uncovering 942 explosives hidden in a sack. A 30-year-old suspect, Nura Sani Muhammad (alias Nura Hariji), was arrested. NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has directed the suspect and explosives be transferred to relevant security authorities.

In Kano, five suspected members of a drug syndicate led by Aminu Musa (alias Kadagi) were arrested with 50 blocks of skunk weighing 21.6kg at Dangoro market.

Elsewhere in Uromi, Edo State, NDLEA intercepted a white Toyota bus heading to Auchi from Onitsha with assorted opioids. Recovered items included 314,020 pills of tramadol, rophynol, diazepam, exol5, 638 bottles of codeine, and 200 ampoules of pentazocine. A suspect, Dare Adeyemo, was arrested.

A separate interception occurred at Agu-Awka junction in Anambra State on 30 April, where a Mazda bus was found carrying 50,400 capsules of tramadol, 500 tablets of co-codamol, and 300 ampoules of pentazocine. The suspect, Chinedu Eneh, was detained.

In Niger State, NDLEA arrested Yusuf Abubakar, 30, after intercepting a Mitsubishi Canter truck on Kontagora-Mokwa road. A search revealed 5,500 capsules of tramadol and 2,300 ampoules of pentazocine.

Following a 10-month investigation, NDLEA on 26 April arrested Dominic Chiegozie Obijiaku, the 52-year-old Managing Director of Ovidaq International Ltd, linked to a shipment of 2,616,060 tramadol pills intercepted at Apapa Port in July 2024. A follow-up raid on his Lekki residence uncovered 51 wraps of Canadian Loud weighing 34 grams.

NDLEA’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy continued nationwide. The agency held sensitisation lectures at Al-Istigama University, Kano, and Government Girls Junior Secondary School, Kankia, Katsina State.

Commending his officers, Gen. Marwa praised the coordinated efforts of NDLEA Commands in DOGI, MMIA, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Anambra, Edo, Niger, and Apapa.

“I equally praise their counterparts in all the commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts,” Marwa said.

A concerned mother, Fijabi Oyindamola, has taken to social media to demand answers from the authorities of Babcock University, Ilisan, Ogun State, over the mysterious disappearance of her son, Oladipupo Siwajuola, who has not been seen or heard from in more than 72 hours.

The public appeal, spotted on Facebook by NigeriaUpdates, reveals Oyindamola’s anguish as she questions the university’s response and the silence surrounding the last individuals who reportedly saw her son.

“Babcock University Ilisan, could you please inform me about the whereabouts of my son, Oladipupo Siwajuola?” she wrote.

“Can you explain why Lampard and Tobi, who were the last to see him, are being shielded?”

She explained that she had personally dropped her son off on campus on Monday, April 27, a routine she has long maintained. Since then, she has been unable to reach him and claims the university has offered no credible information about his whereabouts.

“It has been over 72 hours since I last spoke to my son. I personally dropped him off at school on Monday, April 27, as I always do, and I have been unable to locate him since then,” her post read.

Expressing frustration, she called on the university to take responsibility and offer transparency about the situation.

“Please provide information about my son’s whereabouts. My family and I should not suffer due to your lack of accountability. My son is not a piece of furniture,” she declared.

The Facebook post, marked with the hashtag #findoladipuposiwajuola, has since attracted widespread attention as Nigerians call for urgent action and clarity from the university’s management.

As of the time of reporting, Babcock University had not issued an official statement in response to the concerns. Efforts to contact the university’s media team remain ongoing.

The Ogun State Community, Social Orientation and Safety Corps, popularly known as So-Safe Corps, has arrested a 24-year-old man, Aliyu Umaru, for allegedly vandalising and stealing underground electrification cables at the Gateway Stadium in Ilaro.

This was disclosed in an official statement from the Office of the State Commander, Commander (Dr.) Soji Ganzallo, and signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Assistant Commander Moruf Yusuf.

According to the statement, officers attached to the Ilaro Area Command were on routine patrol in the early hours of Tuesday, April 23, 2025, when they detected suspicious movement around the stadium, located in Yewa South Local Government Area.

“Upon approaching the scene, the officers discovered the suspect, Aliyu Umaru, in the act of vandalizing and stealing underground cables. He was immediately apprehended at the scene,” the statement read.

Commander Ganzallo added, “During interrogation, a quantity of the stolen cables along with a cutlass and scissors were recovered from the suspect.”

He further confirmed that, “The suspect, along with the recovered exhibits, has been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, Ilaro Divisional Headquarters, for further investigation and possible prosecution.”

The So-Safe Corps continues to urge members of the public to report suspicious activities to ensure the protection of public infrastructure across Ogun State.