The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a major breakthrough in its war against drug trafficking with the arrest of an Indian businessman, Gupta Ravi Kumar, and three Nigerian accomplices — Ogunlana Noah Olanrewaju, Olushola Idrees Kayode, and Bakare Korede Muheeb — in connection with the interception of 2,248,000 pills of tramadol at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The tramadol consignment, valued at N3.99 billion on the street, was imported from Delhi, India, and disguised as multivitamins in 114 cartons.
It arrived at the airport aboard an Ethiopian Airline flight on Monday, 8th September 2025, before NDLEA operatives, who had been monitoring the shipment, swooped in.
A clearing agent and two drivers attempting to move the drugs in two trucks were arrested on Thursday, 11th September. A follow-up operation the next day led to the arrest of Kumar, who was allegedly trying to take delivery of the consignment.
The NDLEA also reported a series of coordinated operations between 7th and 11th September 2025:
At MMIA Lagos, operatives intercepted Onyeganochi Stanley Ifeanyi, a first-time traveler to Doha on Qatar Airways, with 900 grams of skunk concealed in crayfish.
His confession led to the arrest of Ohadiegwu Anthony Uchenna, who was traced to a hotel in Ajao Estate with an additional 200 grams of cannabis.
At Tincan Port, Lagos, a joint inspection of a 40-foot container from Montreal, Canada, uncovered 161 parcels of Canadian Loud (81.7kg) and 1.2kg of hashish oil concealed in spare parts.
Two suspects, John Ochigbo (53) and Okeke Kingsley (26), were arrested. A related shipment of 65kg of Canadian Loud was intercepted on the Third Mainland Bridge in a Toyota Sienna, leading to the arrest of Abubakar Ibrahim (42).
Courier firms in Lagos were also used in smuggling attempts. On Monday, 8th September, six grams of methamphetamine were seized from a picture frame bound for Gabon. On Thursday, 11th September, 1.1kg of Loud hidden in video players was intercepted en route to the UAE.
Alongside arrests and seizures, NDLEA formations nationwide intensified their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, motor parks, worship centres, and palaces.
Highlights included outreach at Onitsha South Motor Park (Enugu), Otu Central Mosque (Oyo), Salamah International School (Katsina), and a royal advocacy visit to Oba Adedapo Adewale Tejuosho, Karounwi III, in Ogun State.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), commended officers across MMIA, DOGI, Tincan, Lagos, Oyo, Edo, Kano, FCT, Anambra, Yobe, and Ogun Commands for their dedication.
He urged them to sustain the “balanced approach” of combining tough enforcement with community sensitisation in the fight against illicit drugs.
