The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 70-year-old man and several other suspected drug traffickers during coordinated operations that led to the recovery of huge quantities of opioids, cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine and other controlled substances across parts of Nigeria.
The latest operations, which involved multiple Commands of the anti-narcotics agency, resulted in the interception of more than one million tablets and capsules of various pharmaceutical drugs, alongside thousands of ampoules of injectable opioids and several tonnes of cannabis.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, announced the arrests and seizures in a statement issued on Sunday, August 16, 2026. Reports on the operation confirmed that the Agency’s latest crackdown targeted suspected drug trafficking networks operating through major highways, communities, forests and other locations.
One of the most striking arrests occurred in Oyo State, where NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway intercepted a Toyota Sienna vehicle carrying a substantial consignment of injectable opioids.
The vehicle was occupied by 70-year-old Abdulfatai Oyelaran and 50-year-old Abdulrauf Ajadi. According to the Agency, the two suspects were allegedly found in possession of 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and another 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection.
The combined seizure amounted to 58,000 ampoules of the two controlled opioid medicines.
The arrest of Oyelaran, described in reports as a grandfather, has drawn particular attention because of his age. However, the NDLEA’s announcement focused on the alleged possession and movement of the controlled substances rather than his age.
In Kwara State, the Agency recorded another major seizure after operatives intercepted a truck at the Kam Wire area of Ilorin. Two suspects, identified as 50-year-old Abubakar Adamu and 30-year-old Bilyaminu Nuhu, were arrested.
The NDLEA said 55.96 kilogrammes of skunk, a form of cannabis, was recovered from the truck.
The enforcement operation also extended to Delta State, where officers intercepted Osaro Ikpoba, 43, and Samuel Godbless, 18, along the Onitsha-Asaba Expressway.
A search of the suspects’ consignment reportedly produced 124,100 tablets of tramadol, 786 bottles of codeine-based syrup, 2,598 tablets of Rohypnol and 4,800 tablets of diazepam.
The officers also recovered 470 ampoules of pentazocine and 200 ampoules of tramadol.
In another operation in Delta State, 50-year-old Emeka Tony was arrested along the Kwale-Ozoro Expressway. The suspect was reportedly found with 1,244 cartridges and ₦8 million in cash.
The Agency’s operations in Plateau State equally yielded a significant seizure. NDLEA operatives intercepted a Toyota Corolla along the Riyom-Jos Road and recovered 239,490 capsules of Tramaforce, a pharmaceutical brand containing tramadol.
A suspect identified as Kasum Sherif was arrested in connection with the seizure.
Kano State recorded one of the largest recoveries in the coordinated operations. NDLEA officers intercepted six suspects along the Zaria-Kano Road and recovered 728,958 pills of tramadol, Rohypnol and other opioids.
The consignment also contained 360 grammes of cocaine, 99.8 grammes of methamphetamine, 50 bottles of codeine syrup and 2.7 kilogrammes of Loud, a potent synthetic strain of cannabis.
The suspects were identified as Okodili Ibeabuchi, 60; Onyeka Vincent, 47; Nwanko Wisdom, 36; Success Chigozie, 30; Emmanuel Jude, 27; and Chinedu Peter, 39.
The Kano Command subsequently carried out another operation at Zawaciki Gida Dubu in Kumbotso Local Government Area. Two additional suspects, Mustapha Iliya, 30, and Abdulwahab Abdulrashid, 24, were arrested during the raid.
Operatives recovered 171 blocks of skunk weighing 106.8 kilogrammes from the location.
Beyond the seizure of drugs in urban areas and along major transport corridors, the NDLEA also intensified its campaign against cannabis cultivation.
In Edo State, operatives destroyed two cannabis farms covering 1.85 hectares in the Ugboku/Igbanke forest area of Orhionmwon Local Government Area. The Agency said 4,628.9775 kilogrammes of skunk were destroyed during the operation.
A 40-year-old suspect, Agholor Elebojie, was arrested at one of the farms.
Another operation in Edo State targeted suspected drug joints in Oluku, Benin City. NDLEA officers arrested 28-year-old Kingsley Anigala and recovered 25.857 kilogrammes of Loud and 93 grammes of methamphetamine.
The scale of the seizures highlights the continued challenge posed by the trafficking of opioids and other psychoactive substances in Nigeria. The latest operations involved drugs being moved through major interstate routes as well as substances stored or cultivated in residential and rural locations.
The NDLEA has increasingly relied on intelligence-led operations, highway interdictions and targeted raids to disrupt drug supply chains. Previous official NDLEA reports have also documented large-scale seizures involving tramadol, codeine, pentazocine, cocaine, methamphetamine and cannabis, demonstrating the broad range of substances being intercepted by the Agency.
The latest arrests also underline the Agency’s efforts to target different stages of the illicit drug trade, from cannabis cultivation and transportation to the distribution of pharmaceutical opioids.
With the suspects now in custody, further investigations are expected to determine the alleged sources of the seized drugs, their intended destinations and other individuals who may be connected to the trafficking networks.
The NDLEA’s latest operation comes amid continuing national efforts to reduce the circulation and abuse of illicit drugs and controlled medicines. The Agency has maintained that sustained enforcement, intelligence gathering and cooperation from members of the public are necessary to disrupt organised drug trafficking and prevent dangerous substances from reaching communities.
The suspects remain allegations at this stage, and any determination of guilt will ultimately be made by a court of law.