The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted two long trailers used to move 1,630,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in fabricated compartments of the trucks across multiple borders from Togo, through Benin Republic into Nigeria.
The intelligence-led interdiction operation came barely a week after NDLEA operatives recovered 558,900 pills of the same psychoactive substance from the false bottom compartment of a truck that came into Lagos through the Togo-Benin Republic route.
Its Spokesperson, Femi Banafemi in a statement issued Sunday said investigations revealed that all three trucks and consignments intercepted on 21st June, 2nd July and 4th July belong to the same transnational drug trafficking syndicate operating along the Togo-Benin Republic-Nigeria axis.
He noted: “Two consignments of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, with a combined weight of 4.70 kilograms have been intercepted at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos.
“The cargoes which arrived at the Lagos airport from Canada in cartons with ‘Odugwu’ boldly written on them came aboard British Airways flight and Ethiopian Airlines flight on 24th June and 3rd July respectfully.
“Two cargo agents: Ali Rotimi Samson and Orimolade Oluwagbenga linked to the shipments were initially arrested following which another suspect Edeh Onyeamachi Stanislus who showed up to take delivery of the consignments from a logistics company was also nabbed.”
Babafemi added that a 44-year-old businesswoman, Chioma Mokeme who is the actual owner of the consignments was eventually arrested on 7th July, 2026, in collaboration with the Area C Command of the Nigeria Police, Surulere Lagos.
He stressed that Chioma who claimed she is into printing business said her friend Agbons Collins who lives in Canada introduced her into the criminal trade.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Rivers state have arrested an 80-year-old grandpa, Chika Ugwoji for dealing in illicit substances.
Babafemi said the Octogenarian was found in possession of 800 grams of skunk at the time of his arrest at Ahoada on Tuesday 14th July.
He noted: “In Edo state, a couple: Christian Chukwuka, 32, and Nwanneka Christian, 33, were on Monday 13th July arrested following a raid of their illicit drug warehouse along Sapele road, Benin City where 22 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 219.5kg and compressed blocks of Canadian Loud with a gross weight of 192.67kg were seized.
“A Chadian woman, Hajara Abdullahi, 38, and her Nigerian accomplice Abdulkarim Jidda, 44, were nabbed in Lagos following the seizure of 50,000 pills of tramadol 225mg intercepted in Kogi state on Sunday 12th July.
“The consignment was eventually linked to the two suspects who were traced to Lagos and arrested in Apapa area of the state.”