NDLEA Intercepts Drugs, Arrests Suspects Nationwide

Operatives of Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted multiple consignments of illicit drugs and arrested several suspects in operations across the country during the week of March 16 to 20, 2026, thwarting attempts to traffic substances to Europe, New Zealand and within Nigeria.

At Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, officers arrested two passengers bound for Italy in separate incidents. On March 20, 37-year-old Friday Ehianuka, a resident of Milan, was stopped while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Rome. A search of his luggage revealed 2,698 pills of tramadol 225mg hidden in skin-lightening body cream containers. Ehianuka told investigators he expected payment in euros for delivering the shipment. Two days earlier, on March 18, 38-year-old Christian Agbonhese, also from Milan, was detained at the departure hall while preparing to board a Lufthansa flight. Officers found 23,150 pills of tramadol 225mg, 4,000 tablets of tapentadol 250mg and 1,320 pills of tramadol 100mg concealed in two winter jackets, totaling 28,470 opioid pills.

In related actions at a Lagos courier firm on March 16, NDLEA officers seized two...