The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 25.05 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in breakfast cereal packs imported from South Africa at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, arresting a 56-year-old Nigerian suspected of trafficking the illicit substance.
The agency also arrested an American professional basketball player over a 33.95kg shipment of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, imported from Thailand, while uncovering an illegal firearms factory in Kaduna State.
The operations, which resulted in the seizure of tons of illicit drugs across Lagos, Kaduna, Ondo, Delta, Edo and Osun states, were disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
Babafemi said the methamphetamine consignment was intercepted on Wednesday, November 11, when operatives arrested the suspect, identified as Omokan Isaac Babatope, whose real name is Chinedu Onwude, upon his arrival from South Africa.
A search of his two travelling boxes led to the discovery of 25 parcels of a white crystalline substance weighing 25.05kg, concealed inside packs of assorted breakfast cereals and cereal-based food products.
The suspect, who holds Nigerian and South African passports, reportedly admitted that he had lived in South Africa for more than 24 years using a stolen identity after allegedly entering the country with forged documents.
He further confessed that he was contracted by a South Africa-based man, identified as Obiora Okoye, to deliver the drugs in Nigeria for R20,000.
In a separate operation at the same airport on November 11, NDLEA operatives arrested a 28-year-old American citizen, Greene Da’monte Khiree, over a 33.95kg consignment of Loud brought in from Thailand through Dubai.
The suspect, who arrived aboard an Emirates Airline flight, allegedly abandoned his two checked-in bags in an attempt to leave the airport with only his hand luggage.
However, operatives apprehended him at the airport car park after discovering that the abandoned bags bore his name.
A search revealed 32 parcels of Loud weighing 33.95kg, while a tracking device was also recovered from the luggage.
The American, a native of Savannah, Georgia, reportedly told investigators that he had been living in Thailand since October 2025, where he played professional basketball, and had travelled to Nigeria on holiday to build networks for his career.
A forensic examination of his mobile phone, according to the agency, revealed information suggesting his knowledge of and involvement in the drug trafficking operation.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested a 33-year-old man, Taiwo Adebayo Aderoju, at Ebute Metta on November 10, recovering 119.71kg of cannabis from him.
Another operation in Ajah on November 14 led to the recovery of 78.8kg of cannabis, 2.5 litres of skuchies, 6.8 litres of codeine syrup, 23 grammes of Rohypnol, 478 grammes of tramadol, 10.6kg of nitrous oxide and 714 grammes of pregabalin from an abandoned Toyota Sienna.
In Kaduna State, operatives uncovered a factory allegedly used for the local production of illegal firearms at Sabon Garin Kangin on November 9.
A 45-year-old suspect, Sagiru Musa, was arrested, while 17 locally made Dane guns, two pistols, 25 Dane gun pipes and other firearm manufacturing materials were recovered.
In another operation along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, a 31-year-old woman, Tabara Dauda, was arrested with 196 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition and N675,000.
The agency also arrested Samson Chibuike Andebe, 30, at Grace Land, Sabon Gari Local Government Area, with 3,840 tablets of tramadol weighing 2.5kg.
Similarly, 499.3kg of skunk was recovered from two suspects, Celestine Chime, 34, and Chibueze Christ, 36, during a raid on their hideout in Gonin-Gora.
In Ondo State, two suspects, Victor William, 42, and Akeem Azeez, 27, were arrested at Olabi village bush on November 10, leading to the recovery of 560kg of cannabis stored in 50 bags.
Three other suspects were arrested during a raid on a cannabis farm in Ipele Forest on November 13, with 122kg of the illicit substance recovered.
Delta State also recorded major seizures as operatives arrested a 43-year-old woman, Esther Igba, at Alihame, Agbor, with 255.67kg of cannabis and 1.5kg of cannabis seeds.
Another suspect, Aaron Thomas, popularly known as Ibori, was arrested at Oguato, Ughelli South Local Government Area, after allegedly being trailed for more than six months.
The 25-year-old was described by the agency as a major drug distributor operating a notorious bush bar. Items recovered from him included cannabis, codeine syrup, tramadol, swinol and 135 grammes of Molly, also known as MDMA.
In Osun State, NDLEA operatives arrested two suspects, Eze Chidiebere, 23, and Nwaoge Ugochukwu, 24, during a cannabis farm destruction operation at Owena Forest Reserve, recovering 86kg of cannabis.
Another suspect, Ugwu Chukwuemeka, 40, was arrested in the same forest with 28kg of dried cannabis and 21kg of fresh cannabis leaves.
His 0.855-hectare cannabis farm, containing an estimated 2,137.5kg of the plant, was subsequently destroyed.
Meanwhile, in Edo State, NDLEA operatives arrested a 39-year-old woman, Blessing Chukwudi, during a raid on Jamila Street, Ikpoba Hill, Benin City, following weeks of surveillance.
The operatives recovered 22 compressed parcels of Loud weighing 14kg, 65 grammes of Colorado and 73 grammes of methamphetamine from her.
The NDLEA also said its commands across the country sustained public enlightenment campaigns under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative, targeting schools, religious institutions, workplaces and communities.
Reacting to the operations, the agency’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers of the MMIA, Lagos, Kaduna, Ondo, Delta, Osun and Edo commands for their professionalism.
Marwa said the interception of methamphetamine concealed in breakfast cereal packs demonstrated that traffickers could not outsmart the agency’s operatives through sophisticated concealment methods.
He added that the discovery of the illegal firearms factory in Kaduna highlighted the connection between illicit drug trafficking and violent crimes.
The NDLEA boss urged officers across the country to sustain efforts towards reducing both the supply of illicit drugs and their demand.
