NDLEA arrests convicted cocaine trafficker, intercepts drug-laden fuel tanker

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a convicted cocaine trafficker allegedly behind a cocaine shipment to Saudi Arabia who reportedly operated under the guise of a herbal tea business.

The agency also intercepted a 20,000-litre fuel tanker fitted with a concealed compartment for transporting illicit drugs and recovered large quantities of cannabis, tramadol, methamphetamine and other psychotropic substances in several states.

NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

Babafemi said the suspect, 34-year-old Dunu Bethel Ebubechukwu, was arrested following the interception of a 1.2kg cocaine consignment concealed in phone chargers and destined for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at a courier company in Lagos on July 31, 2026.

Operatives of the agency’s Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, subsequently tracked the alleged mastermind through intelligence-led operations.

Ebubechukwu was arrested during a sting operation at Article Market, opposite Trade Fair Market in the Ojo area of Lagos, on Friday, September 4, while allegedly posing as a herbal tea businessman.

According to the NDLEA, the suspect admitted to masterminding previous illicit drug shipments and said he discarded his telephone SIM card after learning that his latest consignment had been intercepted.

The agency said further investigation showed that Ebubechukwu had previously been arrested in 2011 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos, after ingesting 900 grams of cocaine and 130 grams of heroin in an attempt to travel to Austria.

He was prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment under the name Dunu Chukwuyenre Enoch, the agency said.

Babafemi said the suspect later changed his name to Dunu Bethel Ebubechukwu and allegedly returned to drug trafficking after serving his sentence.

A search of his residence at Yemishola Street, Ejigbo, Lagos, reportedly led to the recovery of phone chargers similar to those used to conceal the intercepted cocaine.

The NDLEA said the internal components of the chargers had been removed to create spaces for concealing drugs.

In another operation at the Lagos airport, operatives recovered 966,200 tablets of tramadol 225mg worth over N1.1 billion, concealed among thrift trousers in a 21-carton consignment from Pakistan.

Also recovered was 57.80kg of Loud, described by the agency as a strain of cannabis, valued at over N173 million and concealed in cartons of disposable hand gloves imported from Singapore.

The consignment had reportedly remained unclaimed for weeks before a joint examination involving NDLEA officers, the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies on September 3.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives intercepted a 20,000-litre fuel tanker with registration number MKA 960 XC along the Akoko-Lokoja Expressway in Ondo State on Friday.

The agency said the tanker, which had allegedly evaded arrest in the past, was chased after its driver refused to stop.

The driver later abandoned the vehicle on church premises in Ugbe Akoko and fled into the bush.

A search of the tanker revealed a concealed compartment containing 165 bags of cannabis weighing 2,145kg, alongside a quantity of fuel reportedly being transported to Jos, Plateau State.

At the Tincan Port in Lagos, operatives intercepted 598.08kg of cannabis-infused cookies and gummies concealed in a 40-foot container.

The agency linked the shipment to three suspects earlier arrested in connection with the seizure of 842.54kg of cannabis-laced cookies.

In Adamawa State, NDLEA operatives recovered 864,000 pills of opioids, including tramadol, from a residence linked to a fleeing suspect, Patrick KC Frank.

The suspect reportedly rammed his Honda Civic into an NDLEA patrol vehicle before escaping.

In another operation in Michika, operatives arrested a suspected methamphetamine supplier, Calistus Ebubechukwu, 35, with 2kg of the substance.

Another suspect, Attahiru Hussaini, was intercepted at Namtari checkpoint in Mubi with a large consignment of tramadol and other opioids concealed in a soap-laden Ford Galaxy bus.

In Lagos, operatives recovered 2,386.9kg of cannabis, 350 grams of cocaine, over 100kg of assorted tramadol, 9.7 litres of codeine syrup and 4kg of rohypnol at Gbaji.

Two suspects, Damilare Francis and Emeh Emmanuel, were also arrested with 720kg of cannabis at Agbara.

In Kogi State, three suspects — Saidu Mustapha, 35; Zaharadeen Salisu, 29; and AbdulSalam Abdullahi, 25 — were arrested with 636kg of cannabis concealed in chicken manure aboard a bus travelling from Owo, Ondo State, to Jos, Plateau State.

In Taraba State, a 58-year-old suspect, Kelechi Unachukwu, was arrested along the Zaki-Biam Road in Wukari Local Government Area with more than 109kg of assorted psychotropic substances.

The drugs included tramadol, diazepam, pentazocine, phenobarbital, nitrazepam, bromazepam and pregabalin.

The agency said the drugs were being transported from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Yola, Adamawa State.

In Kaduna State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a truck loaded with bags of cement along the Zaria-Kano Expressway and recovered 1,179kg of skunk.

In Bauchi State, a 25-year-old suspect, Hamza Dahiru, was arrested in a follow-up operation linked to the seizure of 322.5kg of cannabis at Deba town in Gombe State.

Similarly, in Ekiti State, two suspects — Chuks Alex, 50, and Asafa Adekunle, 35 — were arrested after operatives uncovered and destroyed a four-hectare cannabis farm in Efon-Alaaye forest.

The operation also led to the recovery of 117kg of already harvested skunk.

In Enugu State, a 20-year-old suspect, Obinna David, was arrested at Ugbema Junction with 40,590 capsules of tramadol.

The agency said its commands and formations across the country also continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitisation campaigns in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.

NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations and urged them to sustain the agency’s intelligence-driven approach to drug control.

Marwa said drug traffickers attempting to evade detection by changing identities or operating legitimate business fronts would continue to be tracked and arrested.