A suspect arrested in a recent drug operation has revealed he was promised payment in euros if the illicit consignment successfully reached Italy, underscoring the global connections and financial motivations driving drug trafficking activities.

This development comes shortly after another suspect, Christian Agbonhese, was apprehended while attempting to board a flight to Milan. A search of his luggage uncovered more than 28,000 pills of tramadol and tapentadol, cleverly hidden inside winter jackets.

Beyond airport interceptions, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) also recorded major breakthroughs elsewhere. At a courier facility in Lagos, officers seized a package containing a strong strain of cannabis known as “Loud,” shipped from the United States. In the same operation, they intercepted methamphetamine concealed within carton walls and destined for New Zealand.

In Kano State, authorities arrested two suspects with nearly 200 kilograms of skunk. Meanwhile, in Lagos, a raid at a storage facility in the Ijora area led to the recovery of over 21,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup. Two more suspects were later arrested on the Third Mainland Bridge while transporting thousands of additional bottles.

Further operations in Edo State uncovered close to 100 kilograms of skunk hidden in a residential building. In Abuja, officers intercepted a commercial bus along the Gwagwalada expressway carrying more than 91,000 tramadol pills concealed within its body panels, leading to the driver’s arrest.

The crackdown extended to Oyo State, Kaduna State, and Taraba State, where multiple arrests and seizures highlighted the scale of the illegal trade. Along the Kaduna-Zaria highway, NDLEA operatives recovered over 500,000 pills of tramadol and other opioids—one of the largest seizures recorded. Another suspect was also apprehended in Taraba while transporting tens of thousands of tramadol capsules.

In Adamawa State, a follow-up intelligence-led operation resulted in the arrest of six individuals linked to an 82.8-kilogram tramadol shipment earlier discovered in a truck in Yola.

While enforcement efforts continue, the NDLEA is also ramping up preventive measures through its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, engaging schools and communities nationwide to educate the public on the dangers of substance abuse.

Chairman of the agency, Mohamed Buba Marwa, praised the officers involved in the operations and called for sustained vigilance. He stressed the importance of combining strict enforcement with continuous public awareness to effectively combat drug abuse and trafficking.