In a major operation against drug trafficking, Nigerian authorities have apprehended several individuals attempting to smuggle illicit substances through airports and ports across the country.

On June 7, at the Port Harcourt International Airport, 44-year-old Ezemokwe Chukwuebuka Christian was arrested after ingesting 53 wraps of cocaine, weighing a total of 1.172 kg. He was preparing to board a Qatar Airways flight to Tehran, Iran. Following a body scan, authorities discovered the drugs after Ezemokwe expelled them during excretion observation. He admitted to engaging in drug trafficking for two years, often traveling between West Africa and Iran.

Just a week later, on June 14, authorities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos intercepted Edobor Ambrose Ali, who was attempting to smuggle 14,410 pills of tramadol concealed in winter jackets intended for Italy. Ali claimed he was sent to Nigeria for the courier job with a payment of 2,000 Euros promised upon delivery.

In a separate operation on June 13 at the Port Harcourt Ports, agents uncovered a shipment of 157,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup valued at over N1.1 billion during a joint examination of a container. The drugs were cleverly concealed behind cartons of ceramic items.

Additionally, on June 12 in Cross River State, three suspects were taken into custody after the NDLEA discovered 2,687 kg of skunk, a variant of cannabis, in a warehouse. Authorities in Bauchi also made arrests, seizing 287 kg of skunk from two individuals during a routine inspection.

As part of the ongoing War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), NDLEA officials have been conducting educational programs in schools across Nigeria to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), the Chairman and CEO of NDLEA, commended the efforts of the agency’s operatives in executing these arrests and seizures, emphasizing their dedication to reducing both drug supply and demand across the nation.