In a major victory for Nigeria’s fight against drug trafficking, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a notorious drug kingpin in Delta State and intercepted narcotics worth about N7.8 billion at the Onne Port in Rivers State.
The suspect, 36-year-old Sunday Ebigide, had been on the NDLEA’s wanted list for three years over various drug offences. He was arrested on August 10, 2025, in Asaba while attempting to transport 250 blocks of skunk (a strong variant of cannabis) weighing about 138 kilograms in his distribution bus. An aide, 27-year-old Clement Osuya, was arrested with him.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said Ebigide was first linked to a drug case on March 19, 2022, when operatives seized over 24 kilograms of skunk and 10 grams of molly. He had since gone into hiding until his arrest this month.
In a separate operation, NDLEA agents, working with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies, intercepted five containers at the West Africa Container Terminal in Onne Port, Rivers State.
The seizure included 875,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup, with a street value of over N6.1 billion, and 3.5 million pills of trodol benzhexol, worth around N1.7 billion. The total haul was valued at N7.8 billion.
In addition to these major operations, the NDLEA carried out several successful raids across various states in August, making multiple arrests and destroying large quantities of illegal substances.
In Enugu State, six suspects were arrested during raids on three cannabis farms in Enugu Ezike, where 37,500 kilograms of skunk were destroyed on 15 hectares of farmland. One suspect was caught with 20,700 pills of tramadol and cocodamol along Nsukka Road, while others were arrested at New Market with 27.6 kilograms of skunk.
In Lagos, a woman, Muyibat Mumuni (52), and her son, Faruk Mumuni (25), were arrested in Mushin for storing and distributing 149 kilograms of a strain of cannabis known as “Ghana Loud.” Another suspect, Emmanuel Samuel, was caught in Ajah, Lekki with 8.5 kilograms of “Canadian Loud.”
In Gombe State, NDLEA officers arrested a suspect with 128,000 tramadol capsules. In Kogi State, operatives seized 337,800 capsules of the same drug from a commercial bus driver travelling from Onitsha to Niger State.
In Taraba, NDLEA officials, supported by local security groups, raided cannabis farms in Tanmiya Forest, Sardauna Local Government Area. About 11,250 kilograms of skunk were destroyed on 4.5 hectares of land. In Wukari, a suspect was caught with 29,840 tramadol capsules.
In Kaduna and Kano States, NDLEA arrested four suspects at Gwargwaje checkpoint in Zaria and Tudun Wada for possession of 22,640 pills of tramadol and rohypnol, along with 111.1 kilograms of skunk. Two more suspects were arrested along Zaria–Kano Road with 16 kilograms and 76 kilograms of skunk.
In Edo State, operatives recovered 432 kilograms of skunk in a bush along Warake-Auchi Road in Etsako West Local Government Area. An additional 130 kilograms were seized from a warehouse in Sobe, Owan West.
In Lagos-Badagry, 4,320 ampoules of ketamine injection were intercepted at Gbaji checkpoint. A suspect was arrested in connection with the drugs.
Chairman and Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retired), praised the commitment of officers across all commands involved in the operations. He urged them to continue the agency’s balanced approach in tackling drug abuse and trafficking.
Drug abuse remains a growing concern in Nigeria, particularly among young people. Substances such as tramadol, codeine-based cough syrups, and high-potency cannabis like skunk are widely abused. In 2018, the federal government banned the production and importation of codeine-based syrups following a BBC Africa Eye documentary titled “Sweet Sweet Codeine,” which exposed the extent of addiction among Nigerian youth.
Despite increased enforcement, drug trafficking continues to thrive due to porous borders, weak regulation, and high demand. However, recent arrests and seizures by NDLEA show the agency’s determination to dismantle drug syndicates and reduce access to illicit substances.
The NDLEA has called on members of the public to support its efforts by reporting suspicious activities and working with law enforcement to ensure a drug-free society.
