Drug Trafficking: NDLEA intercepts cocaine concealed in vehicle mirrors, lipsticks

*Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd.), Chairman/CEO of Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, commends Officers at Murtala Muhammed International International Airport, FCT, and various state commands, urging continued commitment to a balanced approach in tackling drug trafficking and abuse

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

In continuation of its nationwide War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign to rid the country of drug trafficking and substance abuse, Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disclosed its operatives intercepted consignments of cocaine and tramadol hidden in vehicle side mirrors, lipsticks, and footwears in a string of operations that led to multiple arrests across Lagos, Abuja, FCT, and several other states of the Federation.

Mr. Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA, said this in a statement Sunday, August 3, 2025, that operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, seized a consignment enroute to Libreville, Gabon, containing 57,420 pills of tramadol 225mg and 57 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.60kg concealed in 71 vehicle side mirrors.

The anti-narcotics regulatory agency also revealed that the operatives confiscated the shipment 19 July, leading to the arrest of cargo agent Ihekweme Osinachi Benedict.

Babafemi stated that follow-up operations resulted in the arrest of Uzochukwu Godspower Chukwurah, from whose residence an additional 11 parcels of cocaine weighing 1kg were recovered.

The total haul of cocaine reached 2.60kg across 68 parcels.

According to the Director of Media and Advocacy, in yet a separate case, NDLEA operatives arrested a businesswoman, Mrs. Nwafor Roseann Nneka, at the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, Lagos, after tracing a July 10 consignment of cocaine and phenacetine concealed in ladies’ lipsticks bound for Malabo, Equatorial Guinea

Two cargo agents were earlier arrested.

While Nneka was reported to have confessed to purchasing the lipsticks used for concealment, her husband and accomplice, Remigus Nwafor, remains at large.

Elsewhere, operatives in Abuja arrested three dispatch riders—Sabo Sule, 24; Samuel Nnamdi, 28; and Idris Jibrin, 28—caught distributing 149.8 grams of Canadian Loud, a potent cannabis strain, across Gwarimpa, Jahi, and Galadimawa.

Two other suspects were also apprehended on the Abaji-Gwagwalada expressway with 91.1kg of skunk.

The agency stated further arrests were recorded across several states.

In Lagos, Joseph Michael was caught in Mushin with 3.3kg of Colorado, while Ibrahim Sulaiman was arrested in Yaba with 16.5 litres of skuchies.

In Benue, Hussein Yusuf, 37, was nabbed at a checkpoint with 100,000 tramadol capsules.

The statement further noted that Edo operatives seized 233.5kg of skunk from a warehouse in Ekpoma and arrested William Alabi, 44.

At the Maiduguri airport in Borno, Umar Aminu, 38, was caught with 160 tramadol pills concealed in footwears.

In Ogun, Yahaya Aminat Seyi was found with 7,218 pills of opioids in the Oja Odan area.

In Oyo, 77.5kg of skunk was recovered from Oladeji Saka in Ibadan.

In Delta, Benson Izah, 40, was arrested in Abraka with skunk, tramadol, and 14.4 litres of codeine.

In Bayelsa, Chief Emeka Opara, 52, and Onuoha Chidinma, 25, were apprehended in Amassoma with 41,705 tramadol capsules. In Kano, Bashir Gambo, 30, was caught with 61kg of skunk.

Finally, in Osun, Kabiru Ayinde, 40, and Roqeeb Adekanmbi, 25, were arrested at Ile-Ogbo in Iwo with 90kg of skunk, 36.3 grams of methamphetamine, a Toyota bus, and N228,200 in cash.

On War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaign

In regard to its continued War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign across Nigeria, the NDLEA said it held activities in schools, religious centres, transport hubs, and royal palaces, including a visit to the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdurasheed Adewale Akanbi.

The statement noted Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd.), Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, commended Officers across the MMIA, MBIAM, FCT, and various State Commands.

Marwa urged continued commitment to a balanced approach in tackling drug trafficking and abuse across the West African country.

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