The NDLEA affirmed that these operations reflect the agency’s unwavering commitment to curbing drug trafficking and halting the exploitation of courier services for cross-border smuggling. Investigations into the intercepted consignments are currently ongoing.
Lagos, Nigeria – Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a consignment of cocaine cleverly concealed within 20 religious books destined for Saudi Arabia, marking another significant success in the agency’s ongoing efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks.
The seizure, announced in a statement by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, took place on Tuesday, April 15, during a routine inspection of outbound cargo by officers from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI). The operatives discovered 20 parcels of cocaine, weighing a total of 500 grams, meticulously stashed within the pages of the books at a courier facility in Lagos.
Babafemi described the concealment strategy as particularly deceptive, noting that the books appeared to be ordinary religious texts, making the discovery even more significant.
On the same day, a separate operation at another Lagos-based courier company led to the interception of five parcels of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis. The packages, weighing 2.8 kilograms, were found hidden inside a carton shipped from the United States.
In a related development in Kano State, NDLEA officers arrested 22-year-old Muhammad Mohammed, who was allegedly transporting 277 ampoules of pentazocine injection — a controlled substance often abused by criminals — taped to his thigh and private area. He was apprehended along the Bichi–Kano road on Sunday, April 13, en route to Katsina.
Also in Kano, a second suspect identified as Mohammed Abdulrahman Abdulaziz, 43, was taken into custody the same day. He was caught in possession of 68 blocks of skunk, a cannabis derivative, weighing 30 kilograms, at Research Rimin Kebe in the Nasarawa area of the state.
In Bayelsa State, a major drug bust was carried out on Wednesday, April 16, when NDLEA operatives raided a residence on Major General Isaiah Alison Street in the Opolo area of Yenagoa. The operation led to the recovery of 557.2 kilograms of skunk, 5.6 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 29.8 grams of heroin. Four suspects — Sarimiye Suwa Kurtis, 46; Sarimiye Tare Paul, 45; Roland Prosper, 34; and Fidelis Ugbesla, 46 — were arrested during the raid.
Meanwhile, in Lagos, officers intercepted a delivery van in Surulere on Thursday, April 17, seizing 1,100 kilograms of skunk. The driver, identified as Ismail Abdullahi, was arrested on the spot.
In Kaduna State, NDLEA operatives raided the residence of one Ike Ani, 30, in Zaria on Friday, April 18. During the operation, the team confiscated a total of 31,950 pills of tramadol (225mg) and diazepam — both classified as controlled substances due to their abuse potential.
The NDLEA affirmed that these operations reflect the agency’s unwavering commitment to curbing drug trafficking and halting the exploitation of courier services for cross-border smuggling. Investigations into the intercepted consignments are currently ongoing.
Additionally, the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign is actively ongoing, with sensitization lectures held in schools, workplaces, and religious centers across the country to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.
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