NDLEA seizes 1.63 million tramadol pills on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

NDLEA seizes 1.63 million tramadol pills on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its crackdown on illicit drug trafficking with the interception of 1.63 million pills of tramadol hidden inside two trucks travelling along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The anti-narcotics agency said the operation disrupted a suspected cross-border drug trafficking network believed to be moving large quantities of high-strength tramadol into Nigeria through the Togo–Benin Republic–Nigeria corridor before transporting the drugs to northern parts of the country.

According to the NDLEA, the seizures were the result of intelligence-led operations that enabled operatives to identify suspicious vehicles and uncover specially constructed compartments beneath the cargo floors of the trucks, where the illicit drugs had been concealed.

The first truck was intercepted while heading to Kano State, with officers recovering 853,000 pills of tramadol 250mg. The driver, identified as Jabir Kabiru, 22, was taken into custody as investigations commenced.

In a follow-up operation carried out along the same transport corridor two days later, NDLEA operatives intercepted another truck heading to Kano and recovered an additional 777,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in a similar hidden compartment. The second driver, Muhammed Nuhu, also 22, was arrested.

The combined recovery brought the total seizure to 1,630,000 tramadol pills, making it one of the agency’s significant drug interceptions in recent months.

READ ALSO:

• Troops Foil ISWAP Mass Abduction at Borno School, Rescue 46 Students
• NBA President-elect Badejo-Okusanya vows better welfare for lawyers after election victory
• Two US Soldiers Killed, One Missing in Iranian Strike on Jordan as Ceasefire Collapses

Investigators believe the two consignments are connected to an earlier seizure involving another truck intercepted in June. Preliminary findings suggest the vehicles may have been operating as part of the same organised trafficking network responsible for moving illicit pharmaceutical opioids across West African borders into Nigeria.

The NDLEA said investigations are continuing to identify other members of the syndicate, including suppliers, financiers, transport coordinators and intended recipients of the consignments.

The agency has repeatedly warned about the dangers of high-dose tramadol, noting that its abuse has been linked to addiction, mental health problems, violent crime and insecurity in several parts of the country. Security agencies have also expressed concern that illicit opioids are increasingly being trafficked through regional routes by organised criminal groups.

Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA said it remains committed to preventive measures through its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign. As part of the initiative, the agency recently organised a drug awareness programme for students and teachers at Government Junior Secondary School, Gabasawa, in Kano State, highlighting the health, social and legal consequences of substance abuse.

Commenting on the latest operation, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers involved for their professionalism and vigilance. He urged operatives nationwide to sustain intelligence gathering and collaboration with other security agencies to dismantle drug trafficking networks operating within and across Nigeria’s borders.

The latest seizures underscore the agency’s determination to disrupt the supply chain of illicit drugs and strengthen efforts to protect communities from the devastating impact of substance abuse.

NDLEA seizes 1.63 million tramadol pills on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway