Dare Babalola
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a major cocaine shipment ingeniously concealed in the heads of imported dry stock fish, popularly known as “okporoko,” as part of a sweeping crackdown on drug trafficking networks across Nigeria.
The operation also led to the arrest of a suspected kingpin linked to an international drug syndicate with routes extending to India.
The statement detailing the operations was signed by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, on Sunday.
The agency disclosed that the breakthrough followed intelligence gathering on trans-border criminal activities, which culminated in a coordinated sting operation by its Murtala Muhammed International Airport Strategic Command in Lagos.
During the operation carried out in the Ojo area on March 19, 2026, operatives apprehended a 36-year-old suspect, Akputa Dickson Ejike, found in possession of three jumbo bags.
A detailed search of the bags uncovered 237 wraps of cocaine carefully hidden inside the heads of dry fish. The illicit drugs, with a total weight of 5.80 kilograms, were reportedly destined for export to Delhi, India.
The arrest is believed to have dealt a significant blow to a trafficking network known for moving narcotics across international borders.
In a separate operation, NDLEA officers attached to the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation intercepted two additional consignments bound for the United Kingdom at a Lagos-based courier facility.
One shipment, which originated from Cotonou in Benin Republic, contained 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in automobile filters, while another package was found to contain 40 ampoules of morphine sulphate and nine ampoules of fentanyl.
The agency’s offensive against drug syndicates also extended to a raid in Yaba, Lagos, where operatives of a Special Operations Unit arrested a 46-year-old woman, Omolade Abigail Jolayemi, identified as the head of a notorious drug distribution network. Jolayemi, popularly known as “Iya Ghana,” was apprehended alongside her associate, Sarah Zainab Agbabiaka, 31, at her residence.
A total of 135 blocks of “Ghana Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis weighing 76.30 kilograms, were recovered during the raid. Investigations revealed that while she operated a legitimate fabric business, she allegedly ran an extensive drug trade between Nigeria and Ghana.
On the same day, another suspect, Anayo Lucky Ohabiro, 39, was arrested at Doyin bus stop in Surulere, Lagos, with 78 blocks of the same cannabis strain weighing 41 kilograms, following credible intelligence.
Beyond Lagos, NDLEA operations recorded significant seizures across multiple states.
In Ekiti, operatives arrested an 80-year-old suspect, Oke Samuel, during a raid at a camp in Efon-Alaaye, recovering 2.2 kilograms of skunk and a small quantity of methamphetamine.
In neighbouring Ondo State, officers raided an uncompleted building in Akure North, where they seized a staggering 894.72 kilograms of cannabis from a 37-year-old suspect, Enuwa Kehinde Kingsley.
In Benue State, a raid in Guma Local Government Area led to the recovery of 116.7 kilograms of skunk from a suspect identified as Saater Nyam, while in Edo State, NDLEA operatives uncovered a warehouse in Ekpoma, resulting in the arrest of 25-year-old Felix Donald and the seizure of 576.5 kilograms of cannabis alongside 33 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
Similarly, in Taraba State, officers intercepted a truck transporting 135 kilograms of compressed cannabis concealed in bags of animal feed along the Garbachede-Gombe route. Two suspects, Osama Mamuda, 21, and Auwal Umar, 22, were arrested in connection with the seizure.
Meanwhile, the agency said its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign continued nationwide, with sensitisation programmes held in schools across Cross River, Adamawa, Oyo, Kano, and Lagos states, among others, as part of efforts to reduce drug demand.
Commending the officers involved in the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Buba Marwa, praised the various commands for their effectiveness in balancing enforcement with public awareness initiatives. He urged continued dedication in tackling both the supply and demand aspects of drug abuse across the country.
