Large opioids consignments intercepted in Taraba as NDLEA arrests 75-year-old in Ebonyi

Large consignments of various opioids and illicit substances concealed in building materials have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in a relentless nationwide offensive against drug cartels leading to the arrest of a 75-year-old grandpa in Ebonyi, and four notorious female drug dealers in Edo, Imo, Kano, and Gombe states.

A major blow was dealt to opioid trafficking networks in Taraba state on Saturday 6th June 2026 following credible intelligence which led to the interception of a truck conveying building materials from Onitsha, Anambra state to Jalingo. A thorough search of the vehicle by NDLEA operatives at the Nukkai Timber Shade, Jalingo, led to the discovery of a massive drug stash concealed beneath the cargo, while a 22-year-old suspect, Buhari Abdullahi, was promptly arrested.

Recovered from the truck include: 320,840 capsules of tramadol; 600 ampoules of pentazocine injection; 4,500 pills of rohypnol; and 299 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup.

Demonstrating that age is no barrier to the enforcement of the law, NDLEA operatives in Ebonyi State tracked down and arrested a 75-year-old grandpa, Okebe Samuel, at Okposi. The septuagenarian was found in possession of 300 grams of skunk, which he sells in retail sachets to the youth in his community.

In Imo state, NDLEA officers successfully raided a known drug enclave at Umulolo, Orlu. The raid resulted in the arrest of a notorious female dealer, 32-year-old Chioma Okeke, and the recovery of 8 kilograms of skunk.

Meanwhile, in Edo state, an intense sweep of notorious drug hotspots within Benin City by NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, 2nd June 2026, yielded the arrest of four key traffickers, including three females.

At Uyosa, Benin City, two female suspects, Chioma Igba (24) and Precious Ozomah (22), were nabbed with a cocktail of illicit substances including 176 grams of skunk, 65 grams of Loud, and 5 grams of Methamphetamine. Along Agbor road in Benin City, another female suspect, 21-year-old Anita Abraham, was apprehended with 95 grams of Scottish Loud and 329 grams of regular Loud. At Upper Mission, Benin City, a male suspect, Henry Okey (43), was arrested with a diverse cache of psychotropic substances consisting of Loud, Colorado, Swinol, and Methamphetamine.

A swift operation by operatives in Kano State on Thursday, 4th June 2026, led to the arrest of a 19-year-old suspect, Saifullahi Lawan at the Kafi area of Madobi, with 40 blocks of skunk weighing a total of 38 kilograms.

In a related development, operatives in Gombe State on Monday, 1st June intercepted 28-year-old Ugwu Sabastine Ifebuchi near the Dantiti Plaza in the Tumfure area of Gombe. The suspect was caught with 15,000 capsules of tramadol.

The War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands and formations equally continued across the country in the past week. Some of them include: WADA sensitization lecture delivered to students and staff of Holiness Foundation Primary School, Saki, Oyo state; Dorras High School, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos; Ado Girls Secondary School, Onitsha, Anambra; and Army Day Secondary School, Kano state; among others.

Reacting to the string of successful operations, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers, men and women of the Taraba, Ebonyi, Imo, Edo, Kano, and Gombe commands for their resilience and vigilance. He also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts. He re-emphasized that the agency remains fully committed to dismantling drug supply chains and will continue to target traffickers regardless of age, gender, or concealment methods.