Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted several consignments of illicit drugs cleverly concealed in frozen snails, electrical bulbs, and women’s clothing. The shipments were bound for the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to a statement released by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, the discoveries were made at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) and at a courier company in Lagos. “At least two suspects linked to these smuggling attempts are now in custody,” Babafemi confirmed.
One of the suspects, identified as Boladale Riliwan, a cargo agent, was arrested on October 7, 2025, after NDLEA operatives found 15 parcels of skunk hidden inside 10 large rechargeable electrical bulbs meant for shipment to the DRC.
Another suspect, Olawale Oyebola Hakeemot, a 48-year-old UK-based Public Health Assistant, was apprehended on October 12, 2025, at the departure hall of Terminal 2 of MMIA, Ikeja. The suspect was reportedly en route to Manchester on a Qatar Airways flight when NDLEA officers discovered 2,300 tramadol 225mg pills concealed inside frozen snails packed in her luggage.
In a separate operation on October 16, NDLEA officers at a Lagos courier company intercepted a parcel containing 810 bromazepam pills hidden in female clothing and bound for the United States.
The agency also announced a series of other major drug busts across the country. In Adamawa State, operatives arrested Bello Buba at an NDLEA checkpoint in Namtari, Yola South LGA. He was found with 38,270 tramadol pills hidden in the spare tyre, boot, and door compartments of his Honda Civic, after smuggling them from the Benin Republic into Nigeria.
In Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives destroyed 53,250 kilograms of skunk cultivated on 21.3 hectares of cannabis farmland in Ilawe Ekiti. They also recovered 1,140kg of the substance during the operation between October 12 and 13, arresting three suspects: Matthew Emmanuel (26), James Moses (27), and Israel Samuel (20).
A similar operation in Ondo State led to the destruction of 17,400kg of skunk grown on 6.96 hectares at Aponmu Forest Reserve, Akure, on October 12.
In Oyo State, NDLEA officers arrested Aliyu Muhammed (50), Babarinde Segun (32), Ogunbiyi Sanjo (30), and Ajani Oluro (30) with 596kg of skunk at Apata-Ako, Igboora. Two others — Jacob Afolabi (30) and Salako Oluwatobi (25) — were caught with 273kg of the same substance at Odo-Oyan, Igangan, on October 16.
Elsewhere, Joseph Andrew was arrested with 88kg of skunk at Ona–Imeko, Ogun State, on October 15, while Festus Udoh (42) was apprehended with 13,000 opioid pills along the Onitsha–Owerri road in Imo State.
In Enugu State, NDLEA officers recovered 74.5kg of skunk from the store of a suspect, Joseph Chukwujamaa, in Umuogbo-Agu village on October 18.
Back in Lagos, the agency seized 117kg of skunk packed in 11 bags from the hideout of Ramoni Olukowi in the Mushin area. In another operation at Apapa Port on October 14, NDLEA officers, working jointly with the Customs Service and other security agencies, intercepted 80,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup shipped from India in a container previously placed under watch.
The NDLEA reiterated its commitment to intensifying efforts against drug trafficking nationwide, emphasizing that no smuggling technique or disguise will escape detection.
