Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted large consignments of opioids concealed in building materials in Taraba State, as part of a nationwide crackdown that also led to the arrest of a 75-year-old man in Ebonyi and several suspected drug dealers across multiple states….
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted large consignments of opioids concealed in building materials in Taraba State, as part of a nationwide crackdown that also led to the arrest of a 75-year-old man in Ebonyi and several suspected drug dealers across multiple states.
The agency said the major interception occurred on Saturday, 6 June 2026, following actionable intelligence. A truck transporting building materials from Onitsha in Anambra State to Jalingo was stopped and searched at Nukkai Timber Shade in Jalingo, Taraba State. Hidden beneath the cargo, operatives discovered 320,840 capsules of tramadol, 600 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 4,500 rohypnol pills, and 299 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup. A 22-year-old suspect, Buhari Abdullahi, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
In Ebonyi State, NDLEA officers arrested a 75-year-old man, Okebe Samuel, at Okposi. He was found with 300 grams of skunk, which authorities say he sold in small sachets to youths in the community.
Elsewhere, in Imo State, operatives raided a known drug hub at Umulolo in Orlu, arresting a 32-year-old female suspect, Chioma Okeke, and recovering 8 kilograms of skunk.
In Edo State, a sweep of drug hotspots in Benin City on 2 June resulted in the arrest of four suspects, including three women. At Uyosa, two suspects, Chioma Igba (24) and Precious Ozomah (22), were apprehended with quantities of skunk, Loud, and methamphetamine. Along Agbor Road, Anita Abraham (21) was arrested with Scottish Loud and regular Loud, while Henry Okey (43) was nabbed at Upper Mission with various psychotropic substances, including Colorado and Swinol.
In Kano State, a 19-year-old suspect, Saifullahi Lawan, was arrested on 4 June at Kafi area of Madobi with 40 blocks of skunk weighing 38 kilograms.
Similarly, in Gombe State, operatives intercepted 28-year-old Ugwu Sabastine Ifebuchi on 1 June near Dantiti Plaza in Tumfure, recovering 15,000 capsules of tramadol from him.
The NDLEA also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns nationwide, reaching schools in Oyo, Lagos, Anambra, and Kano States, among others.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers across the affected states for their vigilance and dedication. He reiterated the agency’s commitment to dismantling drug networks and tackling both supply and demand, stressing that enforcement efforts would continue regardless of the age, gender, or tactics of offenders.
