The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has raised an alarm over the circulation of illicit drugs being deceptively sold as medicinal cannabis across parts of Lagos State.
According to the agency, intelligence-led operations led to the arrest of a 28-year-old suspect, identified as Afeez Salisu, popularly known as Malu, on November 1, 2025, at 2 Akala Street, Idi Oro, Mushin area of the state.
The PUNCH reported that in a statement issued on Wednesday by the NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, Salisu was apprehended for allegedly packaging and distributing synthetic and high-potency cannabis strains in designer pouches and cups labelled as medicinal cannabis.
Recovered from the location were 16.4 kilograms of substances identified as Colorado, Arizona, Canadian Loud, and Ghana Loud.
“The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has alerted the Nigerian public about the circulation of dangerous illicit substances being falsely packaged and marketed to the public as medicinal cannabis.
“The public alert comes on the heels of credible intelligence, which led to the arrest of a 28-year-old drug kingpin, Afeez Salisu (a.k.a Malu), on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at his 2 Akala Street, off Umoru Street, Idi Oro, Mushin-Lagos enclave, from where he was packaging and distributing the fake medicinal cannabis in designer pouches and cups.
“A total of 16.4 kilograms of dangerous and synthetic strains of cannabis, including Colorado, Arizona, Canadian Loud and Ghana Loud packaged in designer pouches and cups labelled as medicinal cannabis, were recovered from his store,” the statement partly read.
Babafemi cautioned that the confiscated products, though presented as medicinal cannabis, were in fact highly potent and dangerous psychoactive substances.
He added, “The agency therefore wishes to warn Nigerians, especially the youth, that these so-called medicinal products are, in reality, adulterated and highly potent strains of dangerous psychoactive substances, and are not the regulated, safe pharmaceutical preparations they are purported to be.
“Investigations by the agency have confirmed that the seized and recovered products being peddled under the guise of therapeutic cannabis contain dangerously high concentrations of illicit and harmful strains of cannabis, including Loud, known for its extreme potency and severe psychological effects; Arizona, a highly concentrated and destructive variant of cannabis; and Colorado, a potent, often synthetic, strain with devastating consequences on the user’s mental and physical health.”
The NDLEA spokesperson further explained that these variants, falsely marketed as medicinal, are highly addictive and pose an immediate danger to public health, particularly among young people.
“Rather than the purported medicinal cannabis in the designer pouches and cups, the strains are highly addictive and pose a significant, immediate threat to public health and safety because they are associated with severe mental health issues, including psychosis, acute anxiety, paranoia, and other long-term cognitive impairments, especially among young people,” he said.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), said the suspects were taking advantage of growing global conversations about medicinal cannabis to distribute illegal drugs.
“The criminal elements behind this deceit are only exploiting the global conversation around medicinal cannabis to push their illicit and life-destroying products into our communities. Cannabis remains a prohibited substance in Nigeria, and as such, any product being sold locally under the guise of ‘medicinal cannabis’ is not only fake, but also dangerous and illegal,” Marwa stated.
He appealed to Nigerians, particularly the youth, not to be misled by packaging or false health claims, and urged the public to promptly report anyone involved in such trade to the nearest NDLEA office.
“Please do not consume it, report any person or group involved in the illicit trade of these dangerous substances to the nearest NDLEA office,” he added.
This latest warning follows a trend of arrests involving substances marketed as wellness or therapeutic products, despite the fact that no medicinal cannabis product has been approved for sale or use in Nigeria.
