Suspect Arrested as Agency Also Seizes Over ₦3.4 Billion Worth of Drugs in Lagos and Port Harcourt
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted a commercial vehicle carrying 942 explosives concealed in a sack along the Kaduna-Zaria expressway on May 3, 2025. The vehicle was traveling from Nasarawa State to Zamfara State when stopped during a routine patrol.
Arrest and Seizure Details
The NDLEA arrested a 30-year-old suspect, Nura Sani Muhammad (alias Nura Hariji), in connection with the explosives. The agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the arrest and seizure, stating that the explosives were hidden in a sack inside the vehicle. The NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), has ordered that the suspect and the explosives be handed over to the appropriate security agencies for further investigation and prosecution.
Massive Drug Seizures Across Multiple States
In addition to the explosives, NDLEA seized illicit drugs valued at over ₦3.4 billion in Lagos and Port Harcourt. These seizures included approximately 3.5 million opioid pills and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup. Notably, 2 million pills of tramadol (225mg) and the codeine syrup were recovered during a joint examination of a watch-listed container at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, on April 29, 2025.
In Lagos, 1.5 million pills of a controlled opioid were recovered from a suspect at the Alaba-Rago area of Ojo. The consignment’s source was traced to a residence in Victoria Garden City, Lekki, owned by a suspect currently at large.
Additional Arrests and Operations
NDLEA officers also intercepted 42 parcels of “Canadian Loud,” a potent cannabis strain, concealed in food tins aboard a British Airways flight from Canada at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja. Three suspects, including the receiver, were arrested between April 30 and May 3.
On May 2, a businessman was arrested at Lagos airport while attempting to board a flight to Italy with over 8,000 tramadol pills. Other operations thwarted attempts to export drugs concealed in body cream bottles and led to arrests of syndicate members in Kano and Edo states.
Ongoing Fight Against Drug Trafficking
The NDLEA continues to intensify its crackdown on drug trafficking and illegal explosives movement, collaborating with other security agencies to protect national security and public safety.
