The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has raised concerns over a new and dangerous method being used by drug traffickers to move illicit substances out of Nigeria.
According to the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, traffickers are now ingesting drugs and attempting to transport them by road through long routes across the Sahara Desert into North Africa, and eventually Europe.
Babafemi explained that the shift in strategy comes as security operations at airports have become tighter, forcing traffickers to look for alternative and riskier routes. He said some suspects now travel long distances by road, stopping at intervals to excrete and repackage the drugs before continuing their journey.
He described the development as alarming, questioning the extreme risks involved in such methods. According to him, increased surveillance on highways is already exposing many of these attempts, leading to multiple arrests and interceptions.
To support the claim, Babafemi shared a video showing NDLEA operatives in the field recovering several drug pellets believed to have been excreted by a suspect during a roadside operation. The substances were later arranged and tested by officials, confirming the presence of illegal drugs.
The agency said the trend highlights how far traffickers are willing to go to evade detection, but insisted that its officers are adapting and intensifying operations across airports, highways, and border routes.
This latest warning comes as the NDLEA continues its nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking networks, with several recent cases involving individuals attempting to smuggle narcotics through airports and overland routes, including businessmen and international travellers.
