NDLEA Cracks Down on Drug Networks with Major Arrests in Lagos and Beyond
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have made significant breakthroughs in their ongoing war against drug trafficking, culminating in the arrest of a cleric, his wife, and a notorious drug kingpin in Lagos State. The operations, which spanned several weeks, exposed sophisticated concealment methods and led to the seizure of substantial quantities of illicit substances across Nigeria.
Arrest of Cleric and Wife at Seme Border Checkpoint
On Thursday, April 2, 2026, NDLEA agents apprehended Afolabi Hodonu, a 45-year-old cleric, and his 35-year-old wife, Success Hodonu, at the Gbaji checkpoint near the Seme Border in Badagry, Lagos. The couple, who oversee a church in the Agonvi Sea Beach area of Sakpo, were traveling in a Honda Pilot SUV when a search revealed 11 kilograms of skunk cannabis concealed in hidden compartments of their vehicle. This arrest followed the earlier detention of Sunday Samuel, a 35-year-old posing as a security agent, on Monday, March 30, 2026, at the same checkpoint. Samuel was caught transporting 24.5 kilograms of skunk from the Seme border to Lagos, highlighting the agency's intensified surveillance in the region.
Uncovering Cocaine in Palm Kernel Oil Cans
In a separate, meticulously planned operation, NDLEA officers dismantled a major drug trafficking syndicate over three weeks. The breakthrough began on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, when agents at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Strategic Command in Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted 3.10 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside tins of palm kernel extract destined for the United Kingdom. Two suspects, Idris Olayiwola Amoo and Akinlami Akinsoji Adedoyin, were arrested in connection with the shipment.
A coordinated sting operation on Thursday, April 2, 2026, led to the arrest of the consignment sender, Ezemuwo Joel, who operated under the fake identity Ajayi. This arrest provided crucial leads to the syndicate's leader, 52-year-old King Arinze, who was flushed out from his hideout in the Isolo area of Lagos. Arinze was taken to his warehouse at 11, Ola Ifa Street, Bucknor, Isolo, where NDLEA operatives recovered 886 tins of palm kernel extract prepared for drug concealment, along with industrial tools such as a sealing machine, tin openers, paint sprays, 52 grams of cannabis sativa, and a pack of hand gloves. Arinze confessed to personally draining the oil from the tins to hide the cocaine, showcasing the syndicate's elaborate methods.
Nationwide Operations and Additional Arrests
The NDLEA's efforts extended beyond Lagos, with multiple arrests and seizures across various states. In Borno State, on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, agents intercepted 28-year-old Aisha Adamu along Gamboru Ngala Road, arresting her with 4.3 kilograms of colorado, a potent synthetic cannabis strain, intended for bandit groups operating between Nigeria's North-East region and Chad.
In Adamawa State, on Monday, March 30, 2026, officers patrolling Namtari Road in Yola South stopped a trailer with registration number RUW 947 XA, seizing 48,000 pills of tramadol. The driver, Abdulaziz Ismail Korede, was arrested, and a follow-up operation led to the detention of the recipient, Idris Adamu.
Other notable operations included:
- Osun State: Arrest of 60-year-old Idiatu Oladejo with 15 kilograms of skunk in Isale Osun, Osogbo, on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
- Ondo State: Raid on the Itaogbolu Forest in Akure, recovering 351 kilograms of skunk and its seeds based on credible intelligence.
- Benue State: Seizure of 28,600 capsules of tramadol from 66-year-old Aminu Usman Gembu in Aliade on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
- Edo State: Arrest of 37-year-old Roland Owie after raiding his warehouse in Egbanke community, Orhionmwon Local Council, where 1,378 kilograms of skunk were recovered on Monday, March 30, 2026.
- Oyo State: Detention of notorious drug dealer Ayantola Omodunmomi, also known as Iya Elle, in the Eleta area of Ibadan on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. Intelligence reports revealed she used her 11-year-old daughter, Anjola, to deliver drugs to customers, and 45.6 kilograms of skunk were seized from her warehouse.
Drug Demand Reduction Efforts and Leadership Commendation
Alongside supply reduction operations, the NDLEA continued its drug abuse social advocacy activities nationwide. Sensitization lectures were conducted for students and staff at various institutions, including Okere Grammar School in Saki, Oyo; Shasha Comprehensive High School in Alimosho, Lagos; Ma'ahad Ahmad Turaki Islamiyya in Sabon-Gari, Kano; Ezi-Awka Community Secondary School in Awka, Anambra; and Madrasatul Ihsan in Area One Tsafe, Zamfara State.
Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, praised the officers and men of the MMIA, Seme, Borno, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Edo, Adamawa, and Benue commands for their recent successes. He emphasized the agency's commitment to balancing drug supply and demand reduction efforts, stating, "These successful operations are a testament to the agency's evolving intelligence capabilities and our unwavering commitment to choking the supply lines of drug cartels. Whether they hide behind legitimate businesses, religious titles, or complex concealment methods, we will find them."
The coordinated actions underscore the NDLEA's intensified crackdown on drug trafficking networks, leveraging intelligence and cross-state operations to disrupt illicit activities and promote public safety.
