In a series of high-profile drug busts, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 75-year-old grandfather, two brothers, and several other suspects across Nigeria in a crackdown on illicit drug trafficking.
The latest arrests took place on April 3, 2025, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, where the Abugu brothers, John Abugu (43) and Kenneth Abugu (31), were apprehended. The duo was attempting to board a flight to India, claiming they were traveling for medical treatment. However, following a detailed search of their luggage, NDLEA officers discovered five kilograms of cocaine hidden within the walls of their suitcases. The suspects were arrested after credible intelligence tipped off the agency about their illicit activities.
On the same day, another arrest was made at the airport when NDLEA operatives intercepted a 20-year-old Ghanaian-British national, Parker Darren Hazekia Osei. Osei, who claimed to be a computer science student at East London University, was caught with 36 parcels of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, weighing over 19 kilograms. He had flown into Nigeria from Bangkok, Thailand, via Ethiopian Airlines and admitted that he had been tasked with delivering the drugs in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, in Abia State, 75-year-old Nna Felix, a grandfather, was arrested on April 5 in Umunteke Asa, Ukwa West Local Government Area, with 1.6 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, during a raid. In a separate operation in Aba, 21-year-old David Chinemerem was arrested with over 2,000 ampoules of pentazocine, a controlled substance, on April 1.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, confirmed that the agency had recorded multiple seizures and arrests across the country in recent days. In Kogi State, a 33-year-old woman, Ngozi Ogili, was apprehended while transporting 3 kilograms of methamphetamine from Lagos to Abuja. Additional follow-up operations led to the discovery of more illicit substances, including Loud and Colorado cannabis.
In Yobe State, NDLEA operatives arrested Abdullahi Adamu on April 5, with 381 bottles of codeine syrup and 108 tablets of tramadol along the Potiskum-Damaturu road.
Further arrests were made in Anambra, where a series of raids led to the capture of several suspects and the seizure of large quantities of illicit drugs, including 195,000 pills of tramadol, 4.2 kilograms of codeine syrup, and 5.4 kilograms of pentazocine. In Abuja, NDLEA operatives also seized 25 kilograms of skunk and methamphetamine during a raid at Wuse market on April 3.
In Cross River State, NDLEA, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, raided cannabis plantations in Esuk-Odot, Odukpani Local Government Area, on April 4, where they destroyed over 250,000 kilograms of cannabis cultivated on more than 100 hectares of land.
These arrests come as part of the NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to clamp down on drug trafficking across the country, underscoring the agency’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of Nigerian citizens.
