NDLEA launches major crackdown, seizes 7.6m tramadol pills, 76,273kg Colorado, Skunk in Delta, Adamawa, Imo

Stanley Ihedigbo

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its nationwide crackdown on drug cartels, intercepting 7.6 million tramadol pills and 76,273 kilograms of Colorado and skunk in a series of coordinated raids across Delta, Imo, and Adamawa states.

According to the Director of Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Femi Babafemi, out of the total opioids seized during the raids, not less than 3,874,000 pills of tramadol (225mg and 100mg) and others, as well as 252.2 litres of codeine syrup, were recovered from a warehouse at Oko Market, Asaba, Delta State, on Saturday, 6th December 2025.

Additionally, no fewer than 1.2 million tablets of tramadol 225mg were seized from a suspect, Kelechi Nwakocha, 35, on Wednesday, 3rd December, when NDLEA operatives on patrol at Orogwe, along Onitsha-Owerri Road in Imo State, intercepted his vehicle carrying the consignment, which had been loaded at Aba, Abia State, and was headed to Onitsha, Anambra State.

In Adamawa State, NDLEA officers on Monday, 1st December 2025, intercepted a Toyota Hiace bus marked MGU 554 XB along Maraba-Mubi, coming from Jos, Plateau State, and en route to Mubi. The vehicle was carrying a total of 1,577,112 capsules of tramadol and Exol-5 tablets, all concealed inside jumbo bags mixed with new rubber sandals and slippers.

Two suspects, Kabiru Buba, 25, and Hamza Abubakar, 32, were arrested in connection with the seizure. Similarly, another suspect, Mudansir Rabiu, 27, was nabbed along Zaria-Kano Road, Kano State, with 197,000 pills of Exol-5.

Operatives of a special operations unit of NDLEA stormed forests in Omuo-Ekiti, Ekiti State, where they destroyed 14,654 kilograms of skunk and arrested two suspects: Yusuf Iliyasu, 50, and Okumu Chinedu, 26.

In another operation, the operatives on Tuesday, 2nd December, stormed the forests in Asin-Ekiti, Ikole LGA, Ekiti State, where they destroyed 54,300kg of skunk in two large warehouses that were razed, while 28.3kg of the same psychoactive substance was recovered for prosecution.

Following actionable intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, 2nd December, raided Igoba Forest in Akure North LGA, Ondo State, where a total of 2,483 compressed blocks of skunk and 247 bags of the same substance, weighing 5,442 kilograms in total, were recovered. Five suspects were arrested: Jacob Omodowo, 66; Joy Oluatobi Peace, 24; Babatunde Olamide, 40; Echi Fidelis Joseph, 57; and Ankrah Akano, 56.

Meanwhile, 500kg of skunk was recovered from a Mercedes Benz van marked MGU 614 XB by NDLEA officers on patrol along Mokwa-Jebba Road in Niger State on 4th December, with the driver, Amos Yakubu, 46, arrested. Operatives in the FCT, Abuja, on Wednesday, 3rd December, intercepted a consignment of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis, weighing 22kg at Abaji Expressway.

A follow-up operation at Jabi Park in Abuja led to the arrest of a female receiver, Ali Blessing, 33. Also in the FCT, a suspect, Aliyu Usman, 39, was arrested by operatives on Friday, 5th December, with 24kg of skunk and 573,500 pills of Exol-5 along Kwali-Gwagwalada Expressway.

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives recovered 217 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 113kg from a suspect, Ezenwa Udoka, at Ladipo Market, Mushin, while Izuchukwu Usulor was nabbed with 351kg of skunk in the Onipanu area of the state on 5th December. Susan Okoro was arrested with 104.1kg of the same psychoactive substance at Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, on Tuesday, 2nd December.

A total of 447.5 kilograms of skunk were recovered from two Honda Accord cars marked ABC-678 KK and GGE-772 FB at Agho Forest, Akoko Edo LGA, Edo State. A suspect, Dada Adedara Babawibi, 56, was apprehended in connection with the seizure.

A raid operation at a warehouse in the Isiefve community, Ohuwunde LGA, led to the seizure of 315.8kg of skunk and the arrest of a suspect, Stanley Obasuwa.

With the same vigour, NDLEA commands and formations across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities over the past week. These included lectures and awareness programs at St. Michael’s Academy, Sabon Gari, Kano; Harry Pass Secondary School, Masaje, Gboko LGA, Benue; and Community Junior Secondary School, Okuru-Ama, Obio/Akpor LGA, Rivers State, among others.

While commending the officers and men of the SOU, Delta, Adamawa, Imo, Ondo, Lagos, Kano, FCT, Niger, and Edo Commands for the arrests and seizures, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), stated that their operational successes, along with those of their colleagues nationwide—especially their balanced approach to drug supply and demand reduction efforts—are highly appreciated.