…..Intercepts US, Canada, Sweden-bound opioids in black soup containers, designer wears; others
Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended a notorious supplier of illicit drugs to bandits operating in the Shiroro Local government area of Niger State.
Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, said the 33-year-old Mohammed Sani (alias Gamboli), was arrested in his hideout, about three weeks after escaping arrest at his home in Anguwan Makera, Kuta, Shiroro local government area of Niger state,
This is just as the Agency revealed that it has also uncovered a clandestine codeine syrup factory in Abia State
The anti-narcotic Agency said the arrest followed a credible intelligence about the illicit drug activities of Gamboli.
The Agency however, did not provide more details of his involvement in the drug supply rackets and the extent of his activities with the bandits, the state has been under intense surveillance following the high rate of banditry and kidnapping in the state.
Only recently, over 300 school children of the St. Mary Catholic school and their teachers were kidnapped.
So far, 51 earlier escaped while about 100 were released by the kidnappers.
According to the statement, the NDLEA operatives had on 20th November 2025 raided his house at Anguwan Makera, Kuta, where they recovered 471.8 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis.
” Though he escaped arrest during the raid and has since been in hiding, the manhunt for him eventually paid off on Thursday 11th December when NDLEA officers acting on processed intelligence traced and arrested him at one of his drug joints in Anguwan Fadama, Kuta.
” Intelligence reports had indicated that Gamboli is a major supplier of illicit drugs to bandits operating in Shiroro local government area.”
The NDLEA officers in Abia State, also on Thursday 11th December raided a clandestine codeine syrup-manufacturing factory at Amapu Igbengwo village, Umuakpara, in Osisioma local government area of the state.
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During the operation, operatives recovered a total of 9,015 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 1,152.2kg.
The NDLEA also revealed that its Operatives on Thursday 11th December also arrested Ossai Emeka, 45, along Onitsha – Enugu Ezike road with 7.2kg skunk, while Enoje Agada, 40, was nabbed along Enugu-Ezike -Ette road with 94.6kg of same psychoactive substance.
“A raid carried out by NDLEA operatives at a notorious drug joint known as “Beere the California” at Ido in Oyo state on Thursday 11th December led to the seizure of 3.4kg skunk, 1.6kg Colorado, a synthetic cannabis and 400grams of methamphetamine.
The owner of the drug joint identified as “Idowu the killer” is currently at large while a suspect Ajibade Faruk was nabbed at the joint.
Another operation at Idi Oro, Elekuro, Ibadan on Friday 12th December led to the arrest of Olusanya Abosede, 35, and the seizure of 238.4kg skunk.
The agency disclosed that the”duo of Bashiru Babalola, 43, and Ugunwale Ranti, 50, were arrested on Wednesday 10th December at Gbaji checkpoint, Seme road Badagry, Lagos with 50,000 pills of tramadol 250mg, NDLEA operatives in Ogun state arrested two suspects: Akinwale Makanjuola and Joseph Owolabi with 73kg skunk at Iperu just as another suspect Wasiu Lateef was nabbed with 25kg of same substance at Oke Agbede, Imeko area of the state on Tuesday 9th December.
“In Ondo state, NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence on Monday 10th December raided a compound in Ogbese, Akure North local government area, where they arrested a 55-year-old woman Veronica Obi and her 29-year-old son Bright Obi, and recovered 1,187 kilograms of skunk and its seeds from them.
“A suspect Ohiomah Igbafe, 44, was arrested during a raid operation at Uroe community, Owan East local government area of Edo state, where 461kg skunk and its seeds were recovered on Tuesday 9th December.
“In Gombe state, a suspect Muhammed Sani (alias Sha-Mu-Sha), 50, was arrested with 40,000 capsules of tramadol at Tunfure area, Gombe, while two other suspects: Muhammad Abdullahi (a.k.a Sakalala), 52, and Muhammed Hamza (a.k.a Mamman), 32, were nabbed at Ashaka Jalingo, with 56kg skunk on Monday 8th December.
“No fewer than 907 pills of tramadol, tapentadol, cocodamol, amitriptyline and bromazepam concealed in containers of local black soap, and designer wears, in six different consignments going to the US, Canada and Sweden were intercepted and seized by NDLEA operatives at two major courier companies in Lagos between Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 10th December 2025.
“At the Apapa seaport in Lagos, NDLEA officers on Saturday 13th December intercepted a consignment of 170,000 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 23,579kg during a joint examination of a container with men of Customs Service and other security agencies”.
The agency has assured that they will continue to strengthen the sensitisation of communities and educational institutions in their Commands and formations, across the country, despite the challenges.
