The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a major breakthrough in its war against illicit drug trafficking, dismantling two reigning drug cartels that terrorized Lagos State and arresting five suspects, including the syndicate’s leader, Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode, who posed as a businessman and real estate developer.
In a statement on Sunday by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the organisation said the operations conducted over three weeks led to the seizure of six various cocaine consignments cleverly concealed in stainless cups and hair and body cream containers.
The first breakthrough, in line with Babafemi, occurred on 16th September 2025, when NDLEA officials at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine with a total weight of 13.4kg hidden in cocoa butter body cream containers. A prompt arrest of a cargo agent was effected, and intelligence subsequently revealed that the shipment was traced to Ode, who was weeks later arrested with the help of the police.
While being interrogated, Ode confessed to owning the shipment and that he took possession of it at a cost of over ₦150 million. He further disclosed that he had lived for over 27 years in Austria, Netherlands, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom before returning to Nigeria in 2024.
Sustained operations at the Lagos airport also resulted in the uncovering of another syndicate that was attempting to export multiple cocaine consignments to the UK. On September 26, NDLEA operatives seized 2.10kg of cocaine concealed in bottles of hair cream, which led to the arrest of Smith David Korede, a furniture maker, at his Oshodi residence. Two additional consignments of 1.40kg and 1.00kg of cocaine linked to Korede were later seized.
Another two shipments of cocaine were seized on October 2 at MMIA’s export shed. The drugs, hidden in crayfish and stainless cups, weighed 2.60kg, and two suspects, Ogunbiyi Oluseye Taiwo and Popoola Francis Olumuyiwa, were arrested.
NDLEA also foiled an attempt to smuggle 6.3kg of “Loud” cannabis from Thailand concealed in bedsheets and hibiscus flowers, while a joint operation with the Nigerian Customs Service in Kano State led to the seizure of 290,450 tramadol and pregabalin tablets from Sa’adu Ali, 38.
NDLEA agents arrested and confiscated the following across the country:
- In Lagos, suspected dealer John “SammyBless” Igbe was caught for carrying 550g of Colorado in Lekki, while other suspects were caught with 109kg of skunk, 3,700 bottles of codeine, and 550,000 expired diclofenac tablets.
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In Kwara, 27,700 tramadol tablets were seized from a suspect.
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In Kaduna, nearly 500kg of skunk and 34,000 tramadol capsules were confiscated.
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NDLEA officers raided cannabis farms in Ogun, Osun, and Edo States, destroyed over 24,000kg of skunk, and arrested several suspects.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers for their professionalism and tenacity, adding that the agency would not give up on going after every layer of the illegal drug chain from the couriers to the cartel kingpins.
He informed that every arrest, seizure, and asset forfeiture translate into lives saved and communities protected, reaffirming NDLEA’s commitment to ending drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria.
