In one of Nigeria’s largest drug busts in recent months, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized a staggering N9 billion worth of opioids.
A Canadian woman was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, alongside other suspects involved in drug smuggling.
A 41-year-old Canadian national, Adrienne Munju, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
She was caught smuggling 74 parcels of Canadian Loud, weighing 35.20 kilograms, during her arrival from a KLM flight from Canada on October 3, 2024.
Adrienne confessed that she had been recruited online and promised $10,000 Canadian dollars to deliver the drugs to Lagos.
She admitted that she had planned to use the money to pay for her master’s degree tuition in Canada.
Her arrest has shed light on the increasing involvement of foreigners in Nigeria’s drug trafficking underworld.
This series of operations, carried out in various parts of the country, highlights the growing challenge of drug trafficking in Nigeria, and the NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to combat this menace.
The NDLEA uncovered over 13 million pills of various opioids, including Tramadol, Tamol-X, Royal Tapentadol, and Carisoprodol, at the Port Harcourt Ports, Onne, Rivers State.
The drugs, packed in three containers, arrived from India and were intercepted during a joint examination with the Nigerian Customs Service and other port officials on October 2 and 3, 2024.
According to NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, “The opioids were recovered during a 100% examination of the cargoes with Customs and other stakeholders.”
This seizure marks a significant victory in the fight against drug trafficking, as opioids like Tramadol have been at the center of Nigeria’s drug abuse crisis.
In addition to the opioid pills, more than 338,000 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup, a substance frequently abused in Nigeria, were also confiscated.
The NDLEA’s discovery of these drugs has undoubtedly prevented them from reaching the streets and contributing to the growing addiction problem in the country.
In Lagos, the NDLEA scored another victory with the interception of 100 parcels of “Canadian Loud,” a highly potent form of synthetic cannabis.
The parcels, weighing 50 kilograms, were found in a container shipped from Canada, hidden among imported vehicles.
Acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives traced the consignment to a warehouse in Ikorodu, where it was discovered stashed inside a Toyota Sienna.
One suspect, Abubakar Shuaibu Ibrahim, was arrested in connection with the shipment.
The NDLEA’s operations extended beyond Lagos and Port Harcourt.
In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a commercial bus travelling from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Jalingo.
Hidden inside the vehicle’s compartments were large quantities of opioids.
Two suspects, identified as Pako Thomas and Emmanuel Anyigor, were arrested during the operation.
In another related development, a suspect named Chibuzor Okafor was apprehended in Wukari, Taraba State, with 80 blocks of cannabis weighing 38 kilograms.
The cannabis was concealed inside bags of garri in a bid to evade detection.
In Lagos, another suspect, Bolanle Ajenifuja, was arrested in the Afo-Media area of Ojo.
The NDLEA raided the location and recovered 700 litres of “skuchies,” an illicit concoction made by mixing local chapman with dangerous drugs.
This discovery is a testament to the evolving ways drug traffickers are attempting to disguise their illegal substances in Nigeria.
The NDLEA, under the leadership of its Chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has continued to make significant strides in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
General Marwa praised the agency’s operatives for their dedication and success in intercepting these large quantities of drugs.
He noted that these efforts were crucial in striking a balance between reducing the supply of drugs and addressing the demand for them within the country.
“The operatives involved in these successful operations have demonstrated great commitment to ensuring that Nigeria remains a difficult terrain for drug traffickers. Their efforts will not only reduce drug availability but will also protect our young people from the dangers of addiction,” Marwa said.
