The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a Chinese businessman, an 80-year-old grandmother, and several others in a sweeping nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking.
The operation, which uncovered massive drug consignments hidden in food items and vehicles, was described as one of the most comprehensive in recent times
In a statement released on Sunday, the NDL.EA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, confirmed that Chinese national Liang Tak You was apprehended at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The suspect, who flew in from Bangkok via Dubai, was reportedly in possession of two suitcases containing 50 parcels of Loud—a potent synthetic cannabis—totaling over 26kg.
“The operatives had tracked him from his departure point and allowed him to go through immigration before arresting him at the airport exit,” Babafemi stated.
In Calabar, Cross River State, 80-year-old Grace Ekpeme was arrested at her residence on Edet-Nsa Street, Base Site, where officers recovered more than 3kg of skunk.
Babafemi said intelligence reports had linked the grandmother to ongoing drug distribution activities in the area.
The agency also intercepted large quantities of Colorado cannabis and codeine-based syrup in Lagos. According to Babafemi, a suspect transporting the drugs along the Epe-Ajah Expressway had concealed some of the substances in moimoi sachets.
Other consignments of Canadian Loud were uncovered at the Apapa seaport, where NDLEA, Customs, and other security agents discovered 101kg of the drug packed in tins labeled as ‘Bean Salad Mix’ and hidden in two vehicles inside a shipping container from Canada.
In a related development, officers on the Abuja-Kaduna highway arrested a suspect in a commercial bus carrying 71,000 pills of opioids, including tramadol, Exol-5, and diazepam.
In Maiduguri, a woman was arrested with over 30kg of skunk, and her accomplice was later caught in a follow-up operation. A major cannabis plantation was also raided in Ondo State, where three brothers were arrested, 2,500kg of cultivated skunk was destroyed, and over 120kg of processed cannabis was recovered.
Additional arrests and drug seizures occurred across Edo, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Gombe, and Kogi states. In one case, drugs were found concealed in garri and dried scent leaves, intended for export to Qatar. “This is a coordinated effort, and we’re sending a clear message that drug traffickers have no hiding place in Nigeria,” Babafemi emphasized.
Despite the widespread enforcement actions, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse, campaign with sensitization lectures across secondary schools in Oyo, Ebonyi, Sokoto, and Lagos states. Traditional rulers in Anambra State also received advocacy visits as part of the awareness drive.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the operatives for their efforts. “The commitment of our officers to both cutting supply and reducing demand is commendable. This multi-pronged approach is what we need to tackle drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria,” he stated.
