The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said its operatives have intercepted cocaine and other illicit drugs valued at over N10 billion in separate operations across the country, while also recovering 401 rounds of military-grade ammunition concealed in kegs of palm oil.

The agency disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

According to the statement, a 55-year-old businessman, Onuigbo Ndubisi Chinedu, a clothing dealer at Balogun Market, Lagos Island, was arrested for allegedly attempting to export 3.30 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the walls of cartons used to package food items bound for the United Kingdom.

Babafemi said the cocaine consignment was intercepted at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Wednesday, July 22, by NDLEA operatives.

Three cargo agents, Nkwor Onyekachukwu Justina, Adeleke Abiola Taoheed and Ukanwa Grace Pilgrim, were initially arrested during investigations, leading to the arrest of Kenneth Okakpu, who allegedly delivered the consignment for shipment.

Further investigations identified Onuigbo as the alleged mastermind of the syndicate.

He was arrested on Thursday, July 23, while allegedly attempting to send another cocaine shipment to the UK.

In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives arrested a 31-year-old entrepreneur, Emmanuella Chukwu-Edo, at her Surulere residence in Lagos on Tuesday, July 21, following the seizure of her 2.80kg consignment of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, which arrived from the United States on a United Airlines flight a day earlier.

The agency also recovered 2.24 million pills of Tapentadol 250mg valued at over N2.2 billion during a joint examination of cargo imported from India aboard an Air Maroc flight at the Lagos airport on Friday, July 24.

The seizure followed intelligence processed by the agency. NDLEA also intercepted a shipment of tramadol concealed in containers of black soap destined for the UK at a courier company in Lagos on July 22.

At the Apapa Seaport, operatives uncovered a container carrying three vehicles used to conceal 4,777 sachets of Canadian Loud weighing 2,388.5kg and valued at over N7.1 billion during a joint examination conducted on July 20.

In Katsina State, NDLEA operatives arrested a 30-year-old suspect, Mustapha Sani, during a patrol at Baure in Safana Local Government Area, where he was allegedly found with 323 rounds of military-grade ammunition comprising 200 rounds of 7.62mm and 123 rounds of 7.6mm ammunition.

Another suspect, Abubakar Amadu, also 30, was arrested during a stop-and-search operation at Jere along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway with 73 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition concealed in kegs of red palm oil.

The agency said both suspects had been handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.

In Edo State, NDLEA operatives raided a warehouse in Ilushi community, Esan South-East Local Government Area, where they recovered 1,286kg of cannabis and 86kg of cannabis seeds.

Two suspects, Ojore Onweze, 45, and George Agwumede, 30, were separately arrested with 60kg and 13kg of skunk, respectively.

Babafemi added that the agency’s commands and formations across the country also sustained their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign in schools, places of worship, workplaces and communities.

He said the awareness programme was conducted in schools including Government Day Secondary School, Sabon Wuse, Niger State; Government Girls Secondary School, Shekara, Kano State; and Otto Primary School, Ebute Metta, Lagos State.

NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) as well as the Lagos airport, Apapa, Edo, Kaduna and Katsina commands for the successful operations.

He urged them and other personnel across the country to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control efforts.

The Yobe State Police Command has arrested a suspect linked to the theft of a commercial tricycle after allegedly intoxicating its rider and fleeing with the vehicle.

Police spokesperson, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, said the incident occurred on July 23 in Potiskum when the suspect, posing as a passenger, allegedly gave a 25-year-old tricycle rider a suspected intoxicating substance while being conveyed to Dubai, Garin Dala.

“The rider became unconscious, enabling the suspect to flee with the tricycle to an unknown destination,” the statement said.

The victim was rushed to the State Specialist Hospital, Potiskum, where he is responding to treatment.

The statement added that coordinated intelligence-sharing with neighbouring states led to the interception of the suspect and recovery of the stolen tricycle at a security checkpoint in Gaya LGA in Kano State.

Commissioner of Police, CP Usman Kanfani Jibrin, commended the security agencies involved and directed a thorough investigation to identify and arrest any accomplices.

He also cautioned commercial transport operators, saying, “Operators are strongly urged not to be lured by unusually high transport fares offered by suspicious passengers and should never accept drinks, food items, medications or any consumables from strangers while on duty.”

Troops of the Nigerian Army have foiled a suspected kidnapping and armed robbery attempt along the Jere–Bwari Expressway in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, rescuing a victim unhurt.

This is contained in a statement by security expert, Zagazola Makama on X.

Makama said the incident occurred at about 2:45 a.m. on July 25, when troops of 102 Guards Battalion deployed at Jere responded to credible intelligence on an ongoing armed robbery and possible kidnapping along the highway.

According to him, the troops swiftly mobilised to the scene and, on sighting the approaching soldiers, the suspected armed robbers fled into nearby bushes, abandoning their victim.

The security expert noted that the victim was successfully rescued by the troops without further harm, while efforts have been intensified to track down and apprehend the fleeing suspects.

He added that the prompt response by the troops prevented what could have resulted in a successful abduction and reaffirmed the military’s commitment to ensuring the safety of commuters along major highways in and around the Federal Capital Territory.