Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered a major drug trafficking syndicate in Lagos, intercepting cocaine concealed in tins of palm kernel oil and arresting a suspected kingpin following weeks of intelligence-led operations.
The breakthrough began on March 11, 2026, when NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, intercepted 3.10 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside tins of palm kernel extract destined for the United Kingdom. Two suspects, Idris Olayiwola Amoo and Akinlami Akinsoji Adedoyin, were arrested in connection with the shipment.
Further investigations led to a sting operation on April 2, resulting in the arrest of the sender, Ezemuwo Joel, who allegedly operated under a false identity. His arrest exposed the alleged leader of the syndicate, 52-year-old King Arinze, who was subsequently apprehended at a hideout in the Isolo area of Lagos.
NDLEA operatives later raided his warehouse in Bucknor, Isolo, where they recovered 886 tins prepared for drug concealment, along with industrial tools, cannabis, and other materials. The suspect reportedly confessed to draining palm kernel oil from the tins to conceal cocaine shipments.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives in Borno State arrested a 28-year-old woman, Aisha Adamu, along the Gamboru Ngala road with 4.3 kilograms of Colorado, a potent synthetic strain of cannabis believed to be supplied to bandit groups operating in the North-East region.
In Lagos, a cleric, Pastor Afolabi Hodonu of the Celestial Church of Christ, and his wife, Success Hodonu, were arrested at the Gbaji checkpoint in Badagry. A search of their vehicle uncovered 11 kilograms of skunk concealed in hidden compartments.
Their arrest followed the earlier apprehension of a suspected fake security agent, Sunday Samuel, who was found transporting 24.5 kilograms of skunk from the Seme border.
Across other states, NDLEA recorded multiple seizures and arrests. In Adamawa, operatives intercepted a truck carrying 48,000 tramadol pills along Namtari Road, leading to the arrest of the driver and a suspected recipient. In Osun, a 60-year-old woman was caught with 15 kilograms of skunk, while in Ondo, a raid on a forest in Itaogbolu led to the recovery of 351 kilograms of cannabis and seeds.
Additional operations in Benue, Edo, and Oyo states resulted in the seizure of large quantities of tramadol and cannabis, as well as the arrest of several suspects, including a notorious drug dealer in Ibadan who allegedly used her 11-year-old daughter to distribute illicit substances.
The NDLEA also sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools across Oyo, Lagos, Kano, Anambra, and Zamfara states.
Commending officers across the country, NDLEA Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, said the operations demonstrate the agency’s growing intelligence capacity and commitment to disrupting drug trafficking networks.
“These successful operations show our resolve to choke the supply lines of drug cartels. No matter the cover they adopt, we will track and apprehend them,” he said.