The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have successfully dismantled two major drug cartels behind six different consignments of cocaine.
The anti-narcotics agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday said the breakthrough recorded followed series of intelligence led operations that lasted over three weeks across Lagos, leading to the arrest of five suspects and ultimately the arrowhead of the syndicate, Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode.
According to Babafemi, the illicit drugs were concealed in walls of stainless cups, body cream and hair gel containers.
The end of the road for the syndicates began on 16th September 2025 when NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos, intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine weighing 13.40 kilograms concealed in walls of cocoa butter body cream containers, following which, a cargo agent was promptly arrested.
Further investigations revealed Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode, who parades as a businessman and real estate developer, as the mastermind of the shipment and after weeks of intelligence, it was established that the drug baron had reported a dispute at the Zone 2 headquarters of the Police in Lagos, after which the agency sought the cooperation of the police to get the suspect into custody.
During his preliminary interview, Alhaji Hammed Ode admitted ownership of the consignment which he claimed he bought at over N150 million. He claimed to be a businessman and estate developer following his return from the United Kingdom in 2024. He said he had lived for over 27 years in many European countries including Austria, Netherlands, France, Germany, and Saudi Arabia before settling in the UK.
Similarly, five other desperate attempts by another criminal syndicate to export cocaine consignments to the United Kingdom were also thwarted by operatives of the MMIA Strategic Command of NDLEA.
The unravelling of the gang started on 26th September following the seizure of 2.10kg cocaine concealed in walls of hair cream containers at the export shed of the Lagos airport.
The apprehension of a cargo agent led to the arrest of the consignor, Smith David Korede, a furniture maker, on Tuesday 30th September at his 3 Arowojobe street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos base where another consignment of 1.40kg cocaine meant for export to the UK was recovered from him.
Same day, another consignment of 1.00kg cocaine with similar mode of concealment also going to the UK was also intercepted at the export shed of the airport. The cargo agent arrested in connection with the 1.00kg cocaine also identified Smith David Korede as the consignor, bringing to three the number of seized cocaine consignments linked to the suspect.
Two other cocaine laden consignments going to the UK were also intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the MMIA on Thursday 2nd October. Two suspects: Ogunbiyi Oluseye Taiwo and Popoola Francis Olumuyiwa linked to the seizures were promptly arrested. One of the consignments contained crayfish, and 12 pieces of stainless cups used to conceal 1.00kg cocaine while the second consignment also contained crayfish, and 36 containers of hair cream used to conceal 1.60kg of cocaine.
The bid by another criminal gang to smuggle into Lagos 6.3 kilograms of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis concealed in bedsheet and hibiscus flower from Thailand was equally thwarted by NDLEA operatives attached to some courier companies, while a joint operation between NDLEA officers and Customs Service personnel at a check point along Danbatta-Daura road, Kano, on Thursday 2nd October led to the arrest of 38-year-old Sa’adu Ali and seizure of 290, 450 pills of tramadol 250mg and pregabalin capsules.
In Lagos, a notorious drug dealer John Igbe, operating under the nickname: SammyBless to distribute illicit drugs in Lekki and Ajah axis, was on Tuesday 30th September arrested at Admiralty road, Lekki. At the time of his arrest, 550 grams of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, packaged in retail plastic cups, were recovered from him.
Three other suspects: Idris Lukman; Fuad Abdulsalam and Mobolaji James were nabbed same day in Mushin area of the state, with 109kg skunk, 20 bottles of codeine syrup and 2kg of nitrous oxide seized from them. At the Trade Fair Complex, Alaba area of the state, 3,700 bottles of codeine syrup and 550,000 caplets of expired 225mg diclofenac were recovered.
Operatives on patrol along Okene/Lokoja highway intercepted a waybill parcel coming from Lagos to Abuja containing 3.272kg Loud and a sachet of Colorado. A follow up operation at Gwagwalada park in Abuja led to the arrest of the owner, Tobi Odubote, 34, while another suspect Ismail Abdurrahim, 32, was arrested in possession of 25.5kg skunk along Abaji- Abuja expressway on Thursday 2nd October.
Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of Government Day Secondary School, Hammawa Toungo, Adamawa; Government Day Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina; Day Secondary School, Unguwan Nasarawa, Kontogora, Niger; and traders at Ladega market Ikorodu, Lagos, while the Imo state command of NDLEA paid a WADA advocacy visit to the State First Lady, Barr. Chioma Uzodinma at Government House, Owerri, among others
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated while commending the officers and men of MMIA, DOGI, FCT and other Commands as well as their compatriots across the country for their tenacity, professionalism and balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the agency, assured that the agency will continue to target and dismantle every identified drug cartel at every level of their operations; from the mules to the dealers in between and up to their leadership.
“These successful operations should serve as a warning that NDLEA will not relent until the threat posed by the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking is eliminated because every arrest, seizure and assets forfeited by the criminal syndicates signifies innocent lives saved and communities protected either here in Nigeria or in other jurisdictions”, he said.
