News
NDLEA Seizes N4.4 Billion Worth of Cocaine at Lagos Airport, Grills 30 Suspects
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have seized cocaine consignments worth N4bn at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
The NDLEA said its operatives recovered the 845 wraps of cocaine weighing 18.72 kilogrammes from an international drug syndicate that operates between Brazil, Ethiopia, and Nigeria.
“The drug consignments worth Four Billion Four Hundred and Ninety-Two Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (N4,492,800,000) in street value were recovered from two lavatories of an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft during the post-landing cleaning of the cabin of flight ET900 from Addis Ababa to Lagos on Tuesday 29th October 2024,” NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy Femi Babafemi said in a Sunday statement.
Babafemi said the consignments were “wrapped in nine polythene bags and hidden in the waste collectors in the two rear lavatories of the aircraft, from where they were recovered after the MMIA Strategic Command of NDLEA was alerted about the strange objects.
“No fewer than 30 suspects have so far been grilled in connection with the seizure.”
The seized drugs were conveyed from Brazil to Ethiopia through ingestion and excreted in Addis Ababa by a set of couriers while some other traffickers picked them up and attempted to smuggle them into Nigeria through the Lagos airport before their attempt was frustrated with the cooperation of the airline’s authorities and other airport stakeholders, the agency said.
Similarly, the NDLEA said “efforts by some drug trafficking syndicates to export 2.928kg cocaine, cannabis, and tramadol 225mg concealed in body cream containers, and pieces of artwork to Australia, the United Arab Emirate, and the United Kingdom through some courier companies in Lagos were also blocked by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, on Monday 28th October.
“At the Apapa seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 29th October intercepted 754, 000 pills of tapentadol and acetaminophen 225mg worth Five Hundred and Twenty-Five Million Naira (N525, 000,000) in a targeted and watch-listed container from India during a joint examination with men of Customs Service and other security agencies.
“In the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, a suspect Mujahid Hamisu, 24, was arrested with 147,000 pills of tramadol concealed in black nylon bags containing plumbing materials along Kwali-Gwagwalada Abuja expressway on his way from Onitsha, Anambra state on Saturday 2nd November 2024, while another suspect Seun Abimbola, 47, was nabbed by NDLEA operatives same day with 512 grams of methamphetamine during a raid operation at Giri junction area of the FCT.”
READ NDLEA’S FULL STATEMENT BELOW:
N4.4billion worth cocaine seized at Lagos airport as NDLEA grills 30 suspects
. Intercepts UK, UAE, Australia-bound cocaine, cannabis, tramadol concealed in body cream containers, art work
intercepts UK, UAE, Australia-bound cocaine, cannabis, tramadol concealed in body cream containers, art work
The bid by members of an international drug syndicate that operates between Brazil, Ethiopia and Nigeria to smuggle into Lagos a total of 845 wraps of cocaine weighing 18.72 kilograms has been thwarted and the consignments recovered by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja.
The drug consignments worth Four Billion Four Hundred and Ninety-Two Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (N4,492,800,000) in street value were recovered from two lavatories of an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft during the post landing cleaning of the cabin of flight ET900 from Addis Ababa to Lagos on Tuesday 29th October 2024.
The illicit drug consignments were wrapped in nine polythene bags and hidden in the waste collectors in the two rear lavatories of the aircraft, from where they were recovered after the MMIA Strategic Command of NDLEA was alerted about the strange objects. No fewer than 30 suspects have so far been grilled in connection with the seizure.
Investigations revealed that the seized drugs were conveyed from Brazil to Ethiopia through ingestion and excreted in Addis Ababa by a set of couriers while some other traffickers picked them up and attempted to smuggle them into Nigeria through the Lagos airport before their attempt was frustrated with the cooperation of the airline’s authorities and other airport stakeholders.
In the same vein, attempts by some drug trafficking syndicates to export 2.928kg cocaine, cannabis and tramadol 225mg concealed in body cream containers, and pieces of art work to Australia, United Arab Emirate and United Kingdom through some courier companies in Lagos were also blocked by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, on Monday 28th October.
At the Apapa seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 29th October intercepted 754, 000 pills of tapentadol and acetaminophen 225mg worth Five Hundred and Twenty-Five Million Naira (N525, 000,000) in a targeted and watch-listed container from India during a joint examination with men of Customs Service and other security agencies.
In the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, a suspect Mujahid Hamisu, 24, was arrested with 147,000 pills of tramadol concealed in black nylon bags containing plumbing materials along Kwali-Gwagwalada Abuja expressway on his way from Onitsha, Anambra state on Saturday 2nd November 2024, while another suspect Seun Abimbola, 47, was nabbed by NDLEA operatives same day with 512 grams of methamphetamine during a raid operation at Giri junction area of the FCT.
In Kogi state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Kabba- Obajana highway arrested Mercy Ameh, 28, in a commercial bus travelling from Lagos to Abuja while a search of her luggage led to the recovery of fake Naira notes worth Four Million, Three Hundred and Fifty Three Thousand ,Two Hundred Naira (₦ 4,353,200), even as another suspect Shaibu Dahiru, 27, was nabbed in a vehicle coming from Lagos to Katsina along Lokoja- Okene- Abuja road on Thursday 30th October with 68 blocks of cannabis weighing 27.400kg
seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) also applauded their compatriots in all the commands across the country for intensifying the WADA sensitization lectures and advocacy messages to every part of their areas of responsibility.
Femi Babafemi
Director, Media & Advocacy
NDLEA Headquarters Abuja
Sunday 3rd November 2024
The United States has condemned the killing of members of the family of Plateau-based cleric, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, describing the attack as horrific and urging Nigerian authorities to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
In a statement shared on X on Thursday, the US Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs expressed condolences to the victims’ families and called for stronger measures to prevent further attacks on vulnerable communities across Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
“The United States strongly condemns the horrific killing of members of Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo’s family in Plateau State, Nigeria. The continued violence targeting Christian communities and other vulnerable populations in Nigeria’s Middle Belt is deeply alarming,” the bureau said
The US said it had already engaged Nigerian officials on the worsening security situation, stressing that urgent action was needed to curb recurring attacks and hold perpetrators accountable.
“As I discussed last week with Nigerian officials, we must do more to prevent violent acts. The perpetrators must be held accountable, and urgent action is needed to strengthen security and protect Christians and other vulnerable communities,” the statement added.
The bureau reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to working with the Nigerian government to combat terrorism and violent extremism, stressing that Christians and other Nigerians should be able to practise their faith without fear of violence.
The statement followed the July 12 attack on Kum community in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, where nine members of Rev. Dachomo’s extended family, including a two-month-old baby, were killed.
According to the cleric, the attackers, believed to be armed Fulani militias, asked for him by name before opening fire on his relatives.
Dachomo, who serves as Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, said his family had repeatedly been targeted because of his outspoken criticism of the violence in Plateau State.
He recalled that his grandmother and an uncle were also killed in previous attacks, adding that days after burying his relatives, he received a written death threat from the same group, warning that he would be their next target.
The Anambra State Government has clarified that its indefinite ban on graduation ceremonies applies to all kindergarten, primary and secondary schools across the state, except for students completing Senior Secondary School (SS3).
The clarification was contained in a press statement issued on Friday by the Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Law Mefor, following what the government described as public enquiries and concerns over the directive.
According to the government, Governor Chukwuma Soludo ordered the suspension of graduation ceremonies to reduce the financial burden imposed on parents by schools.
“The essence is to reduce the financial burden on parents,” the commissioner said.
The government explained that the ban covers all forms of graduation-related events, including “passing out,” “cross over,” and any similar ceremonies organised by schools.
Mefor further stated that the directive applies to both public and private schools operating in Anambra State.
However, he noted that students graduating from Senior Secondary School (SS3) are exempted from the ban.
The commissioner stressed that graduation ceremonies for SS3 students remain optional and, where organised, must not involve any levies or financial demands on students or their parents.
“Graduation ceremonies for students exiting Senior Secondary School are optional and, where carried out, must be conducted without any form of levy or financial demand on students and parents,” he said.
The state government also warned that school proprietors and administrators who violate the directive would face severe consequences.
“Any school management found in violation of this directive will face serious sanctions, which may include the closure of such school,” Mefor stated.
The clarification followed widespread reactions after the state government announced the suspension of graduation ceremonies, with many parents and school owners seeking details on the categories of schools affected and whether any exceptions would be allowed.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo, in October 2025, banned graduation ceremonies and Christmas parties in schools across the state as part of efforts to reduce the financial burden on parents and guardians.
The governor said the policy was designed to make education more affordable and equitable for families while discouraging unnecessary expenses associated with school activities.
Expressing concern over what he described as avoidable financial pressure on parents, Soludo had also directed schools to discontinue the use of textbooks designed for pupils to write in.
“This is to owners and administrators of government, private, and mission schools in Anambra: we have set out some basic standards to ensure that the poor are not made to spend so much just because their children are in school.
“One of the measures includes discontinuing the use of textbooks designed for students to write in. This practice forces parents to buy new textbooks annually.
“Once a child finishes a class, he should be able to pass on his textbooks to his younger siblings,” the governor had said.
At least, one person has been confirmed dead leaving others with different categories of injury, following an early-morning multiple-car crash along the Kara Bridge, inward Mowe/Ibafo on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which left hundreds of motorists stranded and grounded economic activities.
In a detailed report of the incident, the FRSC, Lagos Sector Command, said the first crash occurred at about 12:05 a.m. on the outbound carriageway towards Ibadan, involving five articulated trucks and one Toyota Sienna vehicle.
The FRSC report also said rescue and recovery operations were ongoing when another crash occurred at the inbound carriageway towards Lagos involving a commercial bus.
It added that Lagos State Traffic Management Agency LASTMA officials, FRSC officials, officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency LASEMA, and police operatives were on the ground to manage the situation. Tow trucks were also present as officials continued recovery operations.
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