The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted large consignments of opioids and other illicit drugs concealed in building materials in Taraba State, while also arresting a 75-year-old suspect in Ebonyi State and several other drug dealers across multiple states in coordinated nationwide operations.
In Taraba State, operatives acting on credible intelligence on Saturday, June 6, 2026, intercepted a truck transporting building materials from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Jalingo. A detailed search conducted at Nukkai Timber Shade led to the discovery of a large cache of illicit substances hidden beneath the cargo.
A 22-year-old suspect, Buhari Abdullahi, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
The recovered drugs included 320,840 capsules of tramadol, 600 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 4,500 tablets of rohypnol, and 299 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup.
In Ebonyi State, NDLEA operatives arrested a 75-year-old man, Okebe Samuel, in Okposi for alleged possession of 300 grams of skunk, which officials said he sold in retail sachets within his community.
The agency described the arrest as part of its ongoing crackdown on drug distribution networks, noting that age is not a shield against prosecution.
In Imo State, operatives raided a suspected drug hub at Umulolo, Orlu, where a 32-year-old female suspect, Chioma Okeke, was arrested with 8 kilograms of skunk.
Similarly, in Edo State, a series of coordinated raids on drug hotspots in Benin City on Tuesday, June 2, led to the arrest of four suspected traffickers, including three women.
At Uyosa, Benin City, two suspects, Chioma Igba (24) and Precious Ozomah (22), were arrested with 176 grams of skunk, 65 grams of Loud, and 5 grams of methamphetamine.
Another suspect, Anita Abraham (21), was apprehended along Agbor Road with 95 grams of Scottish Loud and 329 grams of Loud, while Henry Okey (43) was arrested at Upper Mission with assorted psychotropic substances including Loud, Colorado, Swinol, and methamphetamine.
In Kano State, NDLEA operatives on Thursday, June 4, arrested a 19-year-old suspect, Saifullahi Lawan, in the Kafi area of Madobi with 40 blocks of skunk weighing 38 kilograms.
In Gombe State, operatives intercepted 28-year-old Ugwu Sabastine Ifebuchi near Dantiti Plaza in Tumfure on Monday, June 1, with 15,000 capsules of tramadol.
Meanwhile, the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign continued nationwide, with lectures delivered in schools including Holiness Foundation Primary School in Saki, Oyo State; Dorras High School, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos; Ado Girls Secondary School, Onitsha, Anambra State; and Army Day Secondary School, Kano State, among others.
Reacting to the operations, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers across the Taraba, Ebonyi, Imo, Edo, Kano, and Gombe Commands for their efforts.
He also praised personnel nationwide for balancing drug supply reduction with demand reduction strategies, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks regardless of age, gender, or concealment methods.
