NDLEA Intercepts 1.6 Million Kano-Bound Tramadol Pills in Lagos; Arrests 80-Year-Old Grandpa and Transnational Syndicate Members
NDLEA Intercepts 1.6 Million Kano-Bound Tramadol Pills in Lagos; Arrests 80-Year-Old Grandpa and Transnational Syndicate Members
In a massive blow to transnational drug syndicates, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted two long trailers carrying 1,630,000 pills of Tramadol (250mg) into Lagos.
The ongoing interdiction operations also led to the arrest of an 80-year-old grandfather in Rivers State, a couple running a drug warehouse in Edo State, and a Chadian national alongside several others across Lagos, Kogi, and Rivers states.
1. The Cross-Border Tramadol Syndicate Smashed in Lagos
The NDLEA has successfully disrupted a major transnational drug trafficking syndicate smuggling Tramadol from **Togo, through the Benin Republic, and into Nigeria**. Following the recent recovery of 558,900 pills on June 21st, intelligence-led operations tracked down two additional Kano-bound trailers along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway:
July 2nd Interception: Operatives located the first trailer and recovered 853,000 pills of Tramadol 250mg** hidden in a fabricated compartment beneath the cargo floor. The 22-year-old driver, Jabir Kabiru, was arrested.
July 4th Interception: Acting on processed intelligence, a second trailer was tracked and intercepted. Officers evacuated 777,000 pills of Tramadol 250mg from a similar false bottom compartment. The driver, 22-year-old Muhammed Nuhu, was taken into custody.
Investigations have confirmed that all three intercepted trucks and their multi-million naira consignments belong to the exact same transnational network operating along the Togo-Benin Republic-Nigeria corridor.
2. High-Profile Businesswoman Arrested Over ‘Odugwu’ Canadian Loud Shipments
NDLEA operatives at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted two consignments of **Canadian Loud** (a potent synthetic strain of cannabis) weighing 4.70 kilograms.
The illicit drugs arrived from Canada in cartons boldly branded “Odugwu” via British Airways and Ethiopian Airlines flights on June 24th and July 3rd, respectively.
The Arrests: Cargo agents Ali Rotimi Samson and Orimolade Oluwagbenga were initially arrested. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Edeh Onyeamachi Stanislus, who attempted to clear the cargo from a logistics company.
The Kingpin: On July 7th, 2026, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Area C Command (Surulere), the NDLEA arrested the actual owner of the shipment, 44-year-old businesswoman Chioma Nneka Mokeme. Chioma, who claims to run a printing business, confessed that her Canada-based friend, Agbons Collins, lured her into the illegal trade.
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3. Nationwide Crackdown: Octogenarian, Couple, and Chadian National Nabbed
The NDLEA’s relentless offensive extended across multiple states, yielding significant arrests:
| Suspect(s) | Location | Date of Arrest | Seized Contraband / Details |
| **Chika Ugwoji (80-year-old Grandpa) | Ahoada, Rivers State | Tuesday, 14th July | Found in possession of **800 grams of Skunk** for illicit distribution. |
| **Christian Chukwuka (32) & **Nwanneka Christian** (33) *(Married Couple)* | Sapele Road, Benin City, Edo State | Monday, 13th July | Raided at their illicit warehouse. Seized: **219.5kg of Cannabis Sativa** (22 bags) and **192.67kg of compressed Canadian Loud**. |
| **Hajara Abdullahi (38, Chadian) & **Abdulkarim Jidda** (44, Nigerian) | Apapa, Lagos State | Sunday, 12th July *(Linked)* | Arrested in Lagos after a shipment of **50,000 pills of Tramadol 225mg** was intercepted in Kogi State and traced back to them.
4. War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) Campaign Gains Momentum
Parallel to the enforcement operations, the NDLEA sustained its intensive public advocacy footprint. Over the past week, the **War Against Drug Abuse (WADA)** sensitization lectures were delivered to students and staff across several academic institutions nationwide, including:
* Government Day Junior Secondary School, Bakori, **Katsina**
* Colliery Technical School, Ngwo, **Enugu**
* Starlight College, Iganmu Ijora, **Lagos**
* Community Secondary School, Kono, **Rivers**
* Odoro High School, Ikole Ekiti, **Ekiti**
* Government Junior Secondary School, Gabasawa, **Kano**
Leadership Commendation
Reacting to the successful operations, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd)**, highly commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Lagos, Rivers, Edo, and Kogi Commands.
“The stellar efforts of our officers have contributed in no small measure to the ongoing drug control successes across Nigeria. However, the battle is continuous. Every officer must remain exceptionally vigilant at all times to completely deny these syndicates freedom of action,” Marwa charged.
