NDLEA Seizes 4.3 Million Opioid Units in Lagos Raid

On April 17, 2026, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) executed a major operation in Okota, Lagos, dismantling a significant drug cartel. The operation led to the seizure of 4.3 million units of controlled substances, including 2,360,000 pills of high-potency tramadol (225mg) and 1,909,400 bottles of codeine syrup, with a total estimated value of ₦16.9 billion.

The NDLEA targeted three concealed warehouses located within residential areas, specifically at 98 Olukayode Awofisayo Street and 5 Charl Ndumetu Street, to evade detection. Mohammed Buba Marwa, the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, described the raid as a decisive strike against major drug syndicates that fuel substance abuse across Nigeria.

He emphasized the agency's commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks and warned that no location, regardless of its affluence, would provide a safe haven for offenders. This operation underscores the NDLEA's intensified crackdown on opioid trafficking, which poses a growing public health concern in Nigeria.