By AAdebola Muili
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted two consignments of Colorado, popularly known as Colos, shipped from the United Kingdom, while operatives also uncovered illicit drugs concealed inside music speakers and loaves of bread in separate operations across eight states.
The operations led to the arrest of several suspects and the recovery of more than 2.3 tonnes of assorted illicit drugs in Lagos, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Kaduna, Plateau, Bayelsa and Kano states.
According to a statement issued on Sunday, 13th September, 2026 by NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, operatives at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted 27 parcels of Colorado weighing 32.20kg in a consolidated cargo from the UK.
A real estate agent, Abideen Jide Salami, was arrested on Wednesday, September 9, after allegedly showing up to collect a large luggage containing the drug using a secret collection code reportedly sent to him by his brother in the UK.
A follow-up operation linked to another UK consignment led to the arrest of 44-year-old Nurudeen Abiodun Kadiri, who was identified as the recipient of another 12.25kg consignment of Colorado.
Kadiri reportedly told investigators that his brother in the UK sent the package.
In Lagos, operatives of the NDLEA Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted a music speaker rigged with three packs of Colorado at a motor park in Maza Maza.
The consignment was allegedly being moved to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and ultimately Liberia.
A 41-year-old tour agent, Ifeanyi Obed Augustine, and the alleged owner of the consignment, 46-year-old Obasi Ugochuckwu, were arrested following a sting operation at a nearby eatery.
At Iddo motor park, another suspect, Ifeanyi Nwokolo Henry, was arrested on Friday, September 11, while allegedly attempting to dispatch 2.1kg of Colorado to Kano.
In Delta State, separate operations in Ughelli and Asaba resulted in the seizure of pentazocine injection, codeine syrup, tramadol, diazepam, flunitrazepam (Hypnox) and MDMA, popularly known as Molly.
The NDLEA said some of the drugs were concealed in music speakers, while Emeka Oji and Chukwuebuka Anedi were arrested.
In Kano, a raid at Sabon Gari led to the arrest of 20-year-old Saidu Adamu with 785,000 capsules of pregabalin weighing 669.425kg.
Also in Kano, 28-year-old Habibu Sabitu was arrested along the Zaria-Kano-Hadejia road after 1,700 tablets of diazepam concealed inside loaves of bread were recovered from him during a stop-and-search operation.
At Katako Market in Jos, Plateau State, 51-year-old Chinedu Uzor was arrested with 157,100 capsules of tramadol.
The agency also intensified its operations against illicit cannabis cultivation in Edo State, where 4,832.56kg of skunk was destroyed on farms in Usen Forest, Igwe-Oke Forest and Ogboha Forest in Ovia South West, Owan East and Owan West Local Government Areas.
A 39-year-old suspect, Sunday Segun, was arrested during the operation on Friday, September 11.
In Ondo State, NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence raided a residence along Oke-Iya, Ijoka Road, Akure, on Wednesday, September 9.
The operation led to the recovery of 186kg of skunk concealed in the boot of a Toyota Avalon car marked ABJ 917 FV.
A 58-year-old suspect, Paul Ogbuwala, was arrested and was allegedly planning to move the consignment to Jos for onward distribution.
In Kaduna State, a female suspect, Hannah Michael, was arrested at Gonin Gora with 369.6kg of cannabis.
Four suspects were also arrested at Ovom, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, with 110 bags of cannabis weighing 876kg.
They were identified as 70-year-old Godwoman Gboriye, Motombo Silver, 44, Pere Andrew, 39, and Keme Andrew, 43.
The NDLEA also said its Commands and formations sustained War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities during the week.
The activities included enlightenment lectures at Mezube Islamiyya Academy, Tudun Wada, Kano; an advocacy visit to the management of Cross River State College of Health Technology, Calabar; and a visit by Rikkos traditional rulers to the NDLEA Academy in Jos.
The Zone 4 Command also paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Keffi, Alhaji Shehu Chindo Yamusa III, in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
Commending the officers and men involved in the operations, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), urged them to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control.
Marwa charged officers to “continue to shut every pipeline being used by drug cartels,” whether through airports, seaports, land borders or the hinterland where cannabis is cultivated.
He also urged NDLEA personnel across the country to maintain the momentum in the fight against illicit drugs.
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