In a significant blow to international and domestic drug trafficking networks, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced a series of major interdictions and arrests across multiple states. The operations led to the seizure of illicit substances cleverly hidden in everyday items and the detention of dozens of suspects, including foreign nationals and a notorious kingpin.
Apapa Port Cocaine Bust and Courier Company Interceptions
The agency's vigilance at the Apapa Port in Lagos yielded a substantial find on Friday, January 2, 2026. Officers discovered 31.5 kilograms of cocaine concealed in hatch three of the merchant vessel MV Aruna Hulya, which had sailed from the Marshall Islands. Following this discovery, NDLEA operatives arrested all 22 crew members of the ship.
The detained individuals include the vessel's master, Sharma Shashi Bhushan, alongside Bharati Manoj Kumar, Bhalerao Nilesh Mukund, Nadar Anthony Macson David, Kolusu Srinivasa Rao, and Sagar Gaurav. All suspects have been transferred to the NDLEA's State Criminal Investigation Department in Lagos for further questioning.
In a related but separate operation, the agency targeted a courier company in Lagos on December 24 and 29, 2025. There, officers intercepted parcels destined for Zambia and the United Kingdom that contained ketamine, ecstasy, and tramadol pills. The drugs were ingeniously concealed inside sachets of coffee mix and within book parcels.
Kingpin Arrest in Ibadan and Disrupting Insurgent Supply
In an intelligence-driven operation in Ibadan, Oyo State, NDLEA officers apprehended a major drug baron. The arrest of 65-year-old Fatima Ilori, widely known by the alias "Mama Kerosine", marked a critical victory. She was captured in the Onireke/Elekuro area alongside 35-year-old Olusanya Abosede.
This operation was precipitated by the earlier seizure of a massive 238.4 kilograms of skunk, a highly potent strain of cannabis, which was directly linked to Ilori's network.
Further demonstrating its nationwide reach, the agency reported successfully disrupting drug supply chains to insurgent elements in Borno State. On January 2, officers arrested 26-year-old Isa Mohammed with 9,150 ampoules of Tramadol injection along the Maiduguri–Gamboru Ngala Road. On the same day, 30-year-old Musa Samaila was caught with 34,000 Tramadol capsules at Biu Market.
Additional Seizures Across the Nation
The NDLEA's New Year operations were extensive. On New Year's Day, a whopping 400 kilograms of skunk was recovered in Lagos. Earlier, on December 30, 2025, operatives in Hadejia town, Jigawa State, intercepted 140.8 kilograms of compressed skunk from 39-year-old Bilya Ibrahim.
Kwara State was also a focus of activity. Officers recovered 238.5 kilograms of skunk from a residence in Asadam, Ilorin. Furthermore, on December 31, at Bode Saadu in Moro LGA, they arrested 32-year-old Abubakar Rabiu and seized 32,000 tramadol and diazepam pills from him.
Marwa Commands Officers, Reaffirms WADA Commitment
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retired), praised the officers involved in these successful operations across Lagos, Oyo, Borno, Kwara, and Jigawa States. He urged them to intensify their efforts in the ongoing War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.
Marwa emphasized the critical need for sustained offensive actions against drug cartels. "Our officers must continue to disrupt both domestic and transnational drug networks while sensitising communities on the dangers of drug abuse," he stated.
In line with the WADA advocacy, NDLEA formations conducted numerous awareness campaigns last week. These educational programs were held in schools, workplaces, worship centres, and communities, including Madrasatu Fadimatul Zahra Sabuwar Abuja in Kankia, Katsina State; Topo Youth Progressive Organisation in Badagry, Lagos; and the Madalla community in Niger State.
