SAA event in Safana Local Government Area, Baure area, Nigeria on Sun 26th July 2026

NDLEA intercepts ₦10bn cocaine, loud, opioids; arrests alleged drug kingpins, recovers military-grade ammunition 

By Zagazola Makama 

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted illicit drugs valued at over ₦10 billion and recovered 401 rounds of military-grade ammunition in a series of intelligence-led operations across Lagos, Kaduna, Katsina and Edo states.

The operations also led to the arrest of several suspected drug traffickers, including an alleged kingpin accused of attempting to export cocaine to the United Kingdom.

According to the NDLEA, operatives arrested Onuigbo Ndubisi Chinedu, 55, a clothing trader at Balogun Market, Lagos Island, over an attempt to export 3.30 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside the walls of cartons used to package food items destined for the UK.

The cocaine shipment was intercepted at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on July 22.

Investigations initially led to the arrest of three cargo agents—Nkwor Onyekachukwu Justina, Adeleke Abiola Taoheed, and Ukanwa Grace Pilgrim—as well as Kenneth Okakpu, who delivered the consignment for shipment.

Further investigation identified Onuigbo as the alleged leader of the trafficking syndicate. He was subsequently arrested on July 23 while allegedly attempting to send another cocaine consignment to the UK.

In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives arrested Emmanuella Chukwu-Edo, 31, at her residence in Surulere, Lagos, following the seizure of 2.80kg of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, which arrived from the United States aboard a United Airlines flight.

The agency also intercepted a shipment containing 2.24 million pills of Tapentadol 250mg, estimated to be worth over ₦2.2 billion, during a joint cargo examination at the Lagos airport. The consignment had arrived from India aboard an Air Maroc flight following intelligence received by the agency.

In another export interception, NDLEA officers uncovered a consignment of tramadol concealed inside containers of black soap intended for shipment to the United Kingdom.

At the Apapa Seaport in Lagos, operatives uncovered 2,388.5 kilograms of Canadian Loud, packaged in 4,777 sachets and concealed inside three imported vehicles in a container. The illicit consignment has an estimated street value of over ₦7.1 billion.

In Katsina State, NDLEA operatives arrested Mustapha Sani, 30, during a patrol at Baure in Safana Local Government Area, where he was found with 323 rounds of military-grade ammunition, comprising 200 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and 123 additional rounds concealed on him.