NDLEA Busts Drug Syndicates, Seizes Opioids in Lagos

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully disrupted drug trafficking operations in Lagos, seizing significant quantities of illicit substances. On March 20, 2026, Fridai Ehianuka, a 37-year-old suspect, was intercepted at Murtala Muhammed International Airport while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Rome, carrying 2,698 pills of tramadol concealed in skin-lightening body cream.

He admitted to a promised payment of €3,000 upon successful delivery. In a separate operation on March 18, another suspect, Christian Agbonhes, was arrested at the airport with 28,470 opioid pills, including tramadol and tapentadol, hidden in large winter jackets.

Additionally, the NDLEA seized parcels containing cannabis and methamphetamine bound for New Zealand and arrested suspects in Kano and Edo State with large quantities of skunk and codeine syrup. The operations highlight the agency's ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking across Nigeria.