Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have dismantled a social media–based drug distribution ring in Lagos that disguised illicit substances as imported Christmas cookies and snacks, arresting two alleged coordinators.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the agency said the syndicate, led by Deji Adesanya and Olubiyi Majekodunmi, imported consignments of Canadian Loud, a potent cannabis strain, and packaged them in colourful designer sachets labelled as cookies and snacks to conceal retail quantities.
The network allegedly used a WhatsApp platform to sell and distribute the drugs.
“Following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, 22 November 2025, raided their apartment at Ojulari Street, Ikate area of Lekki, recovering a large quantity of the designer sachets and five kilograms of Loud at the point of arrest,” the statement said.
In a related operation on Thursday, 27 November, the agency arrested 38-year-old Philip Ucheka in Ladipo, Mushin, Lagos, while he was taking delivery of 110 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 55.6 kilograms. Three delivery vehicles believed to be used for distribution were impounded.
At a courier company in Lagos, officers intercepted 100 grams of Loud concealed inside a teddy bear imported from Thailand, while another logistics firm yielded 548 capsules of tramadol hidden in Vitamin C and magnesium bottles bound for the United Kingdom on 28 November.
In Oyo State, NDLEA officers arrested 55-year-old Wasiu Kareem on 29 November along the Lagos–Ibadan expressway with 8,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 590 bottles of codeine syrup, 1,500 Co-codamol pills and 9,900 tramadol capsules.
In Ondo State, a raid on the Ipe forest in Akoko South East on 24 November led to the arrest of seven suspects—John Ede, Ede Ndubuisi, Ikenna Abe, Eze Chukwuma, Maduabuchi Odo, Nnaji Chudubem and George Okowor—and the seizure of 3,077 kilograms of skunk.
In Kogi State, 49-year-old Anthony Sylvester was arrested on 26 November while conveying 649 kilograms of skunk along the Okene–Lokoja highway. In another operation, NDLEA operatives raided a warehouse in Ashipa, Seme border area of Badagry, Lagos, on 28 November, arresting 33-year-old Abubakar Shuaibu with 487 blocks of skunk weighing 243.5 kilograms.
Along the Zaria–Kano Road in Kano, officers arrested 47-year-old Tsalha Alasan on 24 November with 137 kilograms of skunk. In Bauchi State, three suspects—Godspower Appeal, 50; Ernest Upong, 55; and Godday Chukwudi, 38—were arrested on 26 November at Fanshanu village, Toro LGA, with 322 blocks of skunk weighing 209 kilograms. A black Toyota Highlander with registration ABJ 533 EA used for transportation was also seized.
NDLEA further reported the arrest of 51-year-old John Ekojo with 210.15 kilograms of skunk along the Abuja–Jos highway. Additionally, a couple, Abdullahi Abubakar, 45, and Jamila Abdullahi, 35, were intercepted along the Abuja–Kaduna highway with 725 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition concealed in a sack of maize. On 28 November, 20-year-old Awwal Sabiu was also arrested at the Abuja–Kaduna tollgate with 400 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.
The NDLEA noted that these operations underscore ongoing efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks and curb the distribution of illicit substances within Nigeria and across international borders.
