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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) officers rejected a bribe of N10 million intended to secure the release of Tsolaye Eburajolo, a 40-year-old suspect arrested in Lagos in connection with a major drug interception.
During a joint inspection operation with Customs and other security agencies between October 22 and 23, NDLEA agents seized 26,250,000 tramadol pills and 508,400 bottles of codeine syrup, valued at over N16.6 billion, from containers flagged at Tincan Port in Lagos and Port Harcourt Port in Rivers State.
According to a statement from the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the bribe attempt by Eburajolo, who was detained in the Ago Palace area of Okota, has now been logged as part of the evidence in his case.
Additional illicit substances were also seized during the inspection, including 10 million Toradol Benzhexol tablets and 28 drums containing 700 kg of methamphetamine. Officers recovered 56 parcels of “Loud,” a potent form of cannabis weighing 28 kg, from a Canada-bound container at the Lagos port.
Furthermore, NDLEA operatives intercepted drugs concealed in various items at three courier firms, including 293 ampoules of promethazine and pentazocine, as well as 1.69 kg of cannabis and tramadol hidden in hair extensions and shoe soles en route to the United States, United Kingdom, and Oman. A separate consignment of 2,118 tramadol pills hidden in 13 pairs of shoes and destined for Cyprus was seized on October 12 at Lagos airport. In a follow-up in Enugu on October 24, another 380 pills were confiscated from the sender, Okenwa Kelvin Uchenna.
On October 25, NDLEA operatives raided the Igbo-Igunuko shrine near Alfa Beach in Ajah, where they discovered bags of Ghanaian Loud, weighing 2,760 kg. Two individuals, Gbenga Abiodun and Sunday Abiodun, were detained. Another individual, Ademola Oyelakin, was arrested on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway the same day, with 770 kg of a similar psychoactive substance.
In a separate operation, officers found 11,786 pills of various narcotics, including tramadol, molly, Rohypnol, and diazepam, along with 64 bottles of codeine syrup, hidden in an underground compartment in the home of Muhammad Abdullahi in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos. Abdullahi had reportedly dug a storage pit beneath his bedroom, covering it with a locked slate, a rug, and his bed to evade detection.
In Plateau State, NDLEA arrested 39-year-old Fadan Bindom in Pilgani village, where he was found with 65.85 kg of cannabis and 18 grams of tramadol. Another suspect, Sunday Agbata, was apprehended in Jos South LGA with bromazepam, diazepam, and pentazocine injections totaling 5,830 units.
Meanwhile, Umar Muhammed, a suspected distributor in Abuja, was arrested on October 21 after authorities linked him to 198.5 kg of cannabis seized earlier at Wuse Market Park.
In other regions, NDLEA recovered 640 kg of cannabis concealed in vegetable bags in Edo State, where 27-year-old Austin Oruamen was taken into custody at Ewu Junction. Separately, 35-year-old Adereti Kazeem was arrested on October 24 in Osun State with 133 kg of cannabis hidden in 200 blocks.
