The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a Saudi Arabia-bound consignment of illicit drugs concealed in a gallon of palm oil at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, and uncovered over N7 billion worth of powdered tramadol and Canadian Loud at Lagos ports.
The agency disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday, October 18, 2026, by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
According to the statement, operatives at the Kano airport on Friday, October 16, intercepted a female passenger, Fatimah Ahmad, during the outward clearance of an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia via Addis Ababa. She was found with a gallon of palm oil containing parcels of cannabis sativa (skunk) weighing 511.75 grams.
Fatimah reportedly told operatives that the gallon was given to her by her cousin, Abubakar Yahaya, who was immediately tracked and arrested at the airport car park.
In a major seizure at the Lagos ports, NDLEA operatives uncovered 8,725 kilograms of powdered tramadol worth over N6.98 billion. Babafemi said the shipment, which came from India and was falsely declared as maize starch, was discovered during a joint examination with the Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies at the APM Terminals, Apapa, on October 2. A confirmatory test at the NDLEA forensic laboratory confirmed it as tramadol hydrochloride powder. When separated from its concealment on Wednesday, October 14, it amounted to 349 bags with a gross weight of 8,725kg.
In a separate operation at Tincan Port in Lagos on Monday, October 12, officers discovered 55kg of Canadian Loud valued at N165 million. The drugs were packed in brown cartons and hidden inside a Toyota Sienna vehicle conveyed in a 40-foot container.
Lagos, Edo, Ondo Raids
The NDLEA also recorded major arrests in Lagos. On Wednesday, October 14, operatives raided Idumota market and arrested Elizabeth Chidera Kalu, recovering 10,600 ampoules of diazepam injection and 6,500 tablets of Molly from her store. The following day, two 35-year-old men, Idowu Daudu and Ahmed Oniyinde, were arrested in Mushin with 59.95kg and 61.23kg of skunk respectively.
Also on October 15, operatives intercepted a truck coming from Trade Fair Market along Iyana Oba, arresting Tajudeen Adeduntan, the loading manager, and his assistant, Azeez Sikiru, with 18,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in cartons labelled as Rambo insecticide.
In Edo State, six suspects were arrested during raids in Warake, Ivhiaro and Ewe/Irue communities in Owan East LGA between October 15 and 16. They include 85-year-old Grace Ehimeka, arrested with 179kg of skunk at Warake; Ayo Aigberadion, 53, with 220.8kg; Ali Garba, 57, with 5.852kg; Habib Braimoh, 45; Musa Mubid, 35; and Hope Okoro, 35.
In Ondo State, operatives on Saturday, October 17, raided a cannabis farm in Okemoro Isinbode camp forest and destroyed 7,500kg of skunk cultivated on three hectares. Five suspects were arrested and 1,281kg of skunk, seeds and stems recovered. In Owo, 53-year-old Okunebe Ndidi was arrested with 25 bags of cannabis weighing 375kg.
Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, FCT
In Bauchi, operatives intercepted Shamsu Garba, 35, at Ragwam village, Katagum LGA, with 894,800 pills of tramadol and Exol-5 tablets in his Volkswagen Golf on October 14. The same day, 291 blocks of cannabis weighing 265kg were recovered from an abandoned car along Bauchi-Gombe road.
In Kano, Ali Abdullahi, 38, and Ibrahim Adamu, 23, were arrested along Zaria-Kano road with 30,100 tablets of tramadol 225mg, while Murtala Dayyabu, 54, was arrested at Niger Street with 100,000 tablets of Exol-5. In Kaduna, three suspects were arrested at Kayimi village with 496.5kg of cannabis, while John Ayo David, 39, was arrested at Food Palace, Ali Akilu Road, with 49,500 tablets of tramadol. In the FCT, Odo Jonas Ejike, 42, was arrested with 29,500 capsules of tramadol at Utako on October 17.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended officers of Apapa, Tincan, MAKIA, Lagos, Edo, Bauchi, Ondo, Kano and FCT Commands for their professionalism and urged them to sustain the onslaught against drug trafficking networks.
