February 22, 2026 — SUNTV Global Channel
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 68-year-old grandmother and several other suspects during coordinated anti-drug operations carried out across Lagos, Edo, Bauchi, Ondo, Delta, and Kogi states.
The sweeping raids led to the seizure of large quantities of cannabis, tramadol pills, and codeine syrup, in what authorities described as one of the most extensive nationwide crackdowns in recent months.
In Lagos State, NDLEA operatives apprehended Ugwuja Kingsley at Agbara on February 19 with 56 kilograms of skunk. Earlier, on February 17, another suspect, Ekwe Arinze, was arrested at a motor park in Oshodi while transporting 76 kilograms of the same substance.
At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State, officers conducting a joint inspection with the Nigeria Customs Service uncovered a container concealing 170,900 bottles of codeine-based syrup. The discovery followed intelligence that prompted a full physical examination of the shipment.
Along the Okene–Lokoja highway in Kogi State, operatives intercepted a bus travelling from Lagos to Kano and recovered 7,300 tramadol pills hidden inside two sound systems. A follow-up operation in Zuba, Abuja, led to the arrest of two suspects linked to the consignment.
In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives stormed the Iju forest, arresting suspects and seizing nearly 400 kilograms of cannabis and seeds during multiple raids.
Bauchi State recorded one of the largest recoveries, with operatives confiscating a total of over 1,000 kilograms of skunk in Azare town during separate operations.
In Delta State, officers seized 37 kilograms of cannabis from a suspect arrested in Ughelli.
Meanwhile, in Edo State, NDLEA operatives raided cannabis farms in Owan West Local Government Area, destroying over 1,266 kilograms of cultivated skunk. During the operation, officers arrested a 68-year-old grandmother, Evelyn Ogenewu, alongside another suspect, while also recovering processed cannabis.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised officers across the affected commands for their vigilance and commitment, describing the operations as a strong warning to drug traffickers nationwide.
He reaffirmed the agency’s resolve to intensify enforcement actions and dismantle drug networks across the country.
