The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled two major drug cartels behind six different consignments of cocaine concealed in walls of stainless cups, body cream and hair gel containers, following series of intelligence led operations that lasted over three weeks across Lagos, which led to the arrest of five suspects and ultimately the arrowhead of the syndicate, Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode who parades as a businessman and real estate developer.
A statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi on Sunday said, the beginning of the end of the criminal syndicate’s operations began on 16th September 2025 when NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the Lagos International Airport intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine weighing 13.40 kilograms concealed in walls of cocoa butter body cream containers. A cargo agent was promptly arrested.
The statement said, further investigations revealed Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode as the mastermind of the shipment and after weeks of intelligence, it was established that the drug baron had reported a dispute at the Zone 2 headquarters of the Police in Lagos, after which the Agency sought the cooperation of the police to get the suspect into custody.
During his preliminary interview, Alhaji Hammed Ode admitted ownership of the consignment which he claimed he bought at over N150 million. He claimed to be a businessman and estate developer following his return from the United Kingdom in 2024. He had lived for over 27 years in many European countries including Austria, Netherlands, France, Germany, and Saudi Arabia before settling in the UK.
In like manner, five other desperate attempts by another criminal syndicate to export cocaine consignments to the United Kingdom were also thwarted by operatives of the Lagos airport Strategic Command of the NDLEA. The unravelling of the gang started on 26th September following the seizure of 2.10kg cocaine concealed in walls of hair cream containers at the export shed of the Lagos airport.
The apprehension of a cargo agent led to the arrest of the consignor, Smith David Korede, a furniture maker, on 30th September at his 3 Arowojobe street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos base where another consignment of 1.40kg cocaine meant for export to the UK was recovered from him.
Same day, another consignment of 1.00kg cocaine with similar mode of concealment also going to the UK was also intercepted at the export shed of the airport. The cargo agent arrested in connection with the 1.00kg cocaine also identified Smith David Korede as the consignor, bringing to three the number of seized cocaine consignments linked to the suspect.
Two other cocaine laden consignments going to the UK were also intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the Lagos airport on Thursday and two suspects: Ogunbiyi Oluseye Taiwo and Popoola Francis Olumuyiwa linked to the seizures were promptly arrested.
One of the consignments, the statement said, contained crayfish, and 12 pieces of stainless cups used to conceal 1.00kg cocaine while the second consignment also contained crayfish, and 36 containers of hair cream used to conceal 1.60kg of cocaine.
The bid by another criminal gang to smuggle into Lagos 6.3 kilograms of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis concealed in bedsheet and hibiscus flower from Thailand was equally thwarted by NDLEA operatives attached to some courier companies, while a joint operation between NDLEA officers and Customs Service personnel at a check point along Danbatta-Daura road, Kano, on Thursday, led to the arrest of 38-year-old Sa’adu Ali and seizure of 290, 450 pills of tramadol 250mg and pregabalin capsules.
In Lagos, a notorious drug dealer John Igbe, operating under the nickname, SammyBless to distribute illicit drugs in Lekki and Ajah axis, was on 30th September arrested at Admiralty road, Lekki and 550 grams of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, packaged in retail plastic cups, were recovered from him.
Babafemi said, three other suspects, Idris Lukman, Fuad Abdulsalam and Mobolaji James were nabbed same day in Mushin area of the state, with 109kg skunk, 20 bottles of codeine syrup and 2kg of nitrous oxide seized from them. At the Trade Fair Complex, Alaba area of the state, 3,700 bottles of codeine syrup and 550,000 caplets of expired 225mg diclofenac were recovered.
While a total of 27,700 pills of tramadol 100mg/225mg were seized from a suspect Salisu Abubakar at Bode Saadu, Morro LGA, Kwara state on 29th September, Blessing Ovaka was caught with 498.5kg skunk at Kudandan, Chukun LGA, Kaduna, same day, just as Dahiru Salisu was arrested in possession of 34,180 capsules of tramadol at Gwargwaje along Kaduna – Zaria road on 2nd October.
In Ogun state, NDLEA operatives on 29th September raided Isheri, Obafemi Owode LGA, where a suspect, Abubakar Audu, was arrested with 112kg skunk and 16grams of tramadol. Three suspects: Chuimieze Shedrack, Sunday John and Solomon Okopko were nabbed by NDLEA officers on Thursday at Owena/Ijesha forest reserve, Osun state where they destroyed 14,000kg skunk on 5.6 hectares of cannabis plantation and recovered 142kg of same psychoactive substance.
In Edo, NDLEA operatives on 1st October, intercepted a Toyota Sienna vehicle marked KUJ 47 NW loaded with 22 bags of skunk weighing 244.5kg at Igbanke, Orhionwon LGA and a suspect Ineh Excellent Obindi arrested.
A total of 10,897.35kg skunk was destroyed on four farms measuring 4.358938 hectares at Ugbodo forest, Ovia North East LGA, on Friday, with two suspects: Michael Ayang and Bernard New Year, (a.ka Don) arrested and not less than 223.5kg processed cannabis and seeds were recovered from the farms.
The statement said, operatives on patrol along Okene/Lokoja highway intercepted a waybill parcel coming from Lagos to Abuja containing 3.272kg Loud and a sachet of Colorado. A follow up operation at Gwagwalada park in Abuja led to the arrest of the owner, Tobi Odubote, while another suspect Ismail Abdurrahim was arrested in possession of 25.5kg skunk along Abaji-Abuja expressway on Thursday.
Reacting to the successful operations, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig-Gen Mohamed Marwa (Rtd) warned that the agency will not relent until the threat posed by the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking is eliminated.
He said, “This is because every arrest, seizure and assets forfeited by the criminal syndicates signifies innocent lives saved and communities protected either here in Nigeria or in other jurisdictions”.
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