By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
LARGE QUANTITIES of cocaine concealed in imported dry stock fish heads have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), with a key syndicate member arrested in Lagos.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the operation followed intelligence on trans-border criminal activities, leading to a coordinated sting by operatives of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Strategic Command at Ojo, Lagos on Thursday 19 March 2026.
Three jumbo bags were recovered from a 36-year-old suspect, Akputa Dickson Ejike.
A statement signed by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy, on Sunday 29 March 2026 stated that a search of the bags uncovered 237 wraps of cocaine buried in the heads of imported dry stock fish known as Okporoko.
The cocaine weighed 5.80kg and was intended for export to Delhi, India.
Also, Operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation on Wednesday 25 March intercepted two consignments bound for the United Kingdom (UK) at a courier company in Lagos.
One shipment originating from Cotonou, Benin Republic, contained 1.9kg of methamphetamine concealed in automobile filters.
The second parcel contained 40 ampoules of morphine sulphate and nine ampoules of fentanyl.
A separate raid on Thursday 26 March by a Special Operations Unit targeted the residence of a suspected syndicate leader at 13 Carter Street, Yaba, Lagos.
Officers arrested 46-year-old Omolade Abigail Jolayemi and her associate Sarah Zainab Agbabiaka, 31.
A total of 135 blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 76.30kg were recovered.
NDLEA operatives also arrested Anayo Lucky Ohabiro, 39, at Doyin bus stop, Surulere, Lagos on the same day, seizing 78 blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 41kg.
In Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives arrested 80-year-old Oke Samuel during a raid at Mosafuneto camp, Erinmo Road, Efon Alaaye on Thursday 26 March.
The officers recovered 2.2kg of skunk and 1.8g of methamphetamine.
On the same day, 894.72kg of the substance was seized from another suspect, Enuwa Kehinde Kingsley, 37, during a raid on an uncompleted building at Ogbese in Ondo State.
A raid at Pevi village, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State on Tuesday 24 March led to the recovery of 116.7kg of skunk from a 35-year-old suspect, Saater Nyam.
In Edo State, operatives uncovered a warehouse in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area on Monday 23 March, arresting 25-year-old Felix Donald and seizing 576.5kg of skunk and 33 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
In Taraba State, officers acting on intelligence on Tuesday 24 March intercepted a truck marked DUT 457 ZB conveying 100 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 135kg concealed in bags of animal feed from Garbachede to Gombe State.
Two suspects, Osama Mamuda, 21, and Auwal Umar, 22, were arrested.
JKNewsMedia.com reports the agency as stating that War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities continued nationwide, including outreach programmes in schools across Cross River, Adamawa, Oyo, Kano and Lagos states.
As always, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers across multiple commands for the arrests and seizures, while praising efforts to balance drug supply and demand reduction.
