**Raids Storage Sites in Edo, Cross Rivers Forests, Recovers 17,000Kg of Illicit drugs
**Intercepts Large Consignments of Skunk in Lagos, Delta, Kaduna operations
By: Kingsley Omonobi
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency disclosed on Sunday that its operatives have successfully intercepted 12 large parcels of cocaine concealed in the false bottom of food flasks heading to the United Kingdom via a Virgin Atlantic Airline flight from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The agency said, “The cocaine consignment with a gross weight of 2.80 kilograms was intercepted on Thursday, 9th April 2026, by operatives attached to the export shed of the Lagos airport, while two cargo agents involved in the export bid: Ama Obinna Ufeim, 33, and Ogabi Monday Akorede, 39, were swiftly arrested.
“Further investigation revealed a 52-year-old freight and forwarding agent, Agoro Tajudeen Moninuola, as the sender of the consignment, and he was arrested in a follow-up operation.
“In a similar operation, NDLEA officers at the import shed of the Lagos airport on Wednesday, 8th April intercepted a consignment of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, with a gross weight of 2.90 kilograms and concealed in snack food packs, which arrived from the United States of America aboard a Delta Airlines flight.
“Two cargo clearing agents: Animashaun Moshood Adetunji and Mercy Gabriel Oluwasegun, were initially arrested in connection with the seizure before the consignee, Saheed Adeshina Adegoke, a 29-year-old fashion designer, was nabbed in a follow-up operation at 3 Oba Ogunji road, Ogba, Lagos, on Monday, 13th April.
In Kaduna, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Kaduna-Zaria highway, by Gwargwaje, Zaria, on Monday, 13th April, intercepted a trailer conveying cement bound for Hadeja in Jigawa state.
A search of the truck led to the recovery of 760 blocks and 33 jumbo bags of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 847 kilograms.
The truck driver, Umar Garba Haruna, 33, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
A 53-year-old female suspect, Alice Sunday Udoh, was arrested on Thursday, 16th April, when NDLEA officers, supported by soldiers, raided a forest in Uwet community, Akamkpa LGA, Cross River state, where 15,000 kilograms of skunk on six hectares of farmland were destroyed and 119kg of the same substance recovered.
The agency said another cannabis farm was raided on Tuesday, 14th April at Saboro camp, Ovia North East LGA, Edo state, where NDLEA operatives destroyed 2,281.43kg of the same psychoactive substance.
Three suspects: Nweke Smart, 27; Christopher Egbe, 62; and Monday Ayan, 45, were arrested, with the duo of Christopher and Monday caught with 38.5kg of cannabis and its seeds.
Additionally, it said two suspects, Sunday Odili, 49, and Ijenebe Joshua, 39, were nabbed with 87.838kg of skunk and seeds at the Powerline area of Okwo, Delta State, on Friday, 17th April.
In Lagos, two suspects, Chinedu Ogbekene and Zindozin Aloukou Bienvenu, were arrested on Wednesday, 15th April at Mile 2, Lagos/Badagry expressway while conveying 11,900 capsules of tramadol and 400 ampoules of phenobarbital injection in a truck to Ghana.
Same day, NDLEA operatives raided a two-storey building at Petti, Lagos Island, where a total of 95.8kg of skunk was recovered.
With the same zeal, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities, among others, in the past week.
These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Alfurgan Islamic School, Paiko, Niger state; Edgerly Memorial Girls Secondary School, Calabar, Cross River; Heritage Model School, Ankpa, Kogi; Government Day Junior and Senior Secondary School, Kankia, Katsina; Government Senior Secondary School, Rano, Kano, and De Ambassador Secondary School, Epe, Lagos state, among others.
Commending the officers and men of MMIA, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Kaduna, and Lagos Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities.
He charged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the current tempo.
Article NDLEA busts drug syndicate shipping cocaine, loud in food flasks to UK Live On NgGossips.
