Abuja, Oct. 19, 2025- The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted consignments of illicit drugs hidden in frozen snails, electrical bulbs and female clothes while being transported to the United States, United Kingdom, and Democratic Republic of Congo at the Lagos airport.
The consignments were being transported by a courier company in Lagos.
Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Spokesman, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
The statement said at least two suspects were arrested in connection with the consignments.
It said Boladale Riliwan, a cargo agent, was arrested on Oct. 7, 2025, after operatives found 15 parcels of cannabis sativa (skunk) hidden inside 10 giant rechargeable electrical bulbs he intended to ship to the DRC.
Another suspect, 48-year-old Olawale Oyebola Hakeemot, a UK-based Public Health Assistant, was apprehended on October 12 at the MMIA departure hall while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Manchester, United Kingdom.
NDLEA officers discovered 2,300 tramadol 225mg pills concealed within packs of frozen snails in her luggage.
“Attempt by another syndicate to export 810 pills of bromazepam hidden in female clothes going to the United States was also thwarted by NDLEA officers at a courier company in Lagos on Thursday 16th October”.
The NDLEA also said a suspect, Bello Buba, was on Sunday, Oct.12, 2025, intercepted at a checkpoint in Namtari, Yola South LGA, Adamawa State, with 38,270 pills of tramadol concealed in the spare tyre, boot, and door compartments of his Honda Civic car, which he drove all the way from Benin Republic while smuggling the consignment into Nigeria.
Operatives of the NDLEA also destroyed about 53,250 kilograms of skunk on a 21.3- hectare cannabis farm in Ilawe Ekiti, Ekiti state, while 70 bags of the same psychoactive substance weighing 1,140kg were recovered during an operation that lasted between Sunday, Oct. 12th and Monday, 13.
“Suspects arrested include: Matthew Emmanuel, 26; James Moses, 27; and Israel Samuel, 20.
“This followed the destruction of 17,400kg skunk on 6.96 hectares of plantation by NDLEA operatives at Aponmu forest reserve, Akure, Ondo state on Sunday 12th October,” the NDLEA said.
The agency also arrested Aliyu Muhammed, 50; Babarinde Segun,32; Ogunbiyi Sanjo, 30; and Ajani Oluro,30, with 596kg of skunk at Apata-Ako, Igboora in Oyos State, while Jacob Afolabi, 30, and Salako Oluwatobi, 25, were arrested with 273kg of the same substance at Odo-Oyan, Igangan, on Oct. 16.
Joseph Andrew was arrested in possession of 88kg of skunk on Wednesday, 15th October, by NDLEA operatives at Ona – Imeko, Ogun state.
The NDLEA also said it recorvered11 bags of skunk weighing 117kg from the base of a suspect, Ramoni Olukowi, in the Mushin area of Lagos State on Saturday, Oct. 18.
NDLEA operatives also arrested Festus Udoh (42) with 13,000 opioid pills along the Onitsha–Owerri Road in Imo State.
In Enugu State, 74.5 kilograms of cannabis were seized from the store of Joseph Chukwujamaa at Umuogbo-Agu Village.
