Police Reject ₦500m Bribe, Seize 425 Bags of Suspected Canadian Loud Worth ₦7.8bn

Police Reject ₦500m Bribe, Seize 425 Bags of Suspected Canadian Loud Worth ₦7.8bn

Lagos, Nigeria – Operatives of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force have uncovered a major drug trafficking syndicate in Lagos, seizing 425 bags of suspected Canadian Loud – a high-potency strain of cannabis – with an estimated street value of ₦7.8 billion and arresting several suspects, including the alleged kingpin, Eke Henry Ifeanyi . The operation, carried out by officers of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) in collaboration with divisional police detectives, followed months of surveillance and intelligence gathering coordinated by the Zone 2 Headquarters.

The raid, which took place at No. 10 Olori Adekemi Ajibola Street, Arowojobe Estate, Mende, Maryland, Lagos , led to the recovery of the illicit substances allegedly stored in the residence of the prime suspect. Addressing journalists at the scene on Saturday, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, AIG Olohundare Moshood Jimoh , disclosed that the suspect was apprehended on May 19, 2026 , after weeks of strategic monitoring by operatives. According to him, the operation was executed with technical support and guidance from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu , alongside coordinated efforts between the SPU and divisional police teams.

In a dramatic turn of events during the raid, the suspect allegedly made a desperate attempt to compromise the operation. Jimoh revealed that during the operation, the suspect allegedly offered a bribe of ₦500 million to the SPU commander in an attempt to make the team stand down and allow him to contact his associates to move the consignment elsewhere. “The suspect offered ₦500 million to the SPU commander in an attempt to make the team stand down and allow him to contact his associates to move the consignment elsewhere. The offer was rejected immediately and properly documented for further investigation,” AIG Jimoh said.

The AIG described the development as a reflection of the renewed professionalism and operational discipline being entrenched in the Force under the current policing strategy. He noted that the success of the operation underscored the importance of deploying specialized police units alongside conventional divisional teams in tackling organized crime. According to him, the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid containment strategies , intelligence-led policing , and professional conduct among the operatives involved in the raid. “Rapid containment was achieved as the Special Protection Unit worked with divisional teams to secure the perimeter and prevent escape or interference with evidence. The operation was intelligence-driven, following months of surveillance and technical monitoring before the raid was carried out. The immediate rejection and documentation of the bribe attempt also reflect the standard expected from redeployed personnel at the divisional level,” Jimoh added.

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Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect allegedly operated under the cover of a legitimate business to avoid detection. Ifeanyi runs Ogata Venture Limited , a company that supplies thermal paper rolls used in POS machines and ATM receipts – a front that investigators believe he used to secretly engage in the distribution of illicit drugs through online platforms within and outside Lagos State. Police sources disclosed that the suspect had initially escaped arrest during an earlier operation but was eventually apprehended on May 19, 2026, after detectives tracked his movements. Following his arrest, investigators said he led detectives to the apartment allegedly used as the warehouse. Further searches reportedly revealed that the living room was filled with cartons of thermal paper rolls, while one of the rooms contained the bags suspected to be Canadian Loud. A resident of the area expressed shock over the discovery, saying neighbours had no idea such activities were allegedly taking place within the compound.

Recovered items from the premises included two electric vehicles bearing forged presidency number plates marked “NYCN 10 SE”, a Leopard hybrid vehicle carrying the same forged registration number, three Android phones, a Republic of Liberia residence permit card, two ATM cards, and an Emporio Armani wristwatch . AIG Jimoh alleged that the suspect used the vehicles bearing forged special number plates to evade security checks and suspicion while transporting the prohibited substances across Lagos. When journalists visited the location, residents disclosed that the suspect was not living in any of the apartments within the compound but allegedly used the premises strictly for business activities.

Reacting to the development, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu , commended the operatives for their professionalism, saying the success of the operation validated the ongoing redeployment of personnel to divisions and units across Lagos and Ogun states. The IGP noted: “Policing must be close to the people, and our specialized units must work side by side with divisional teams on the ground. The professionalism shown by the SPU commander in rejecting a ₦500 million bribe and following due procedure is the standard we expect. It shows that when you put your best foot forward at the grassroots, you get results and restore public trust.” Disu further assured that the Force leadership would continue to reward integrity while holding officers accountable to the highest ethical standards. This operation aligns with broader reforms under IGP Disu’s administration, including the strengthening of internal oversight mechanisms, the revitalized Complaint Response Unit, and the dismantling of the “Keep In View” (KIV) culture that previously allowed sensitive criminal files to be buried.

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AIG Jimoh issued a stern warning to drug barons operating in the region , declaring that the police are intensifying efforts to dismantle drug networks in Lagos and Ogun States. “This is the beginning of the end of the issue of drug barons in this region of Lagos and Ogun State, ” AIG Jimoh declared. He explained that the incident underscores why specialized units like the SPU are being embedded within joint operations under IGP Disu’s grassroots policing strategy, which includes embedding specialized units within divisional structures to ensure rapid response capabilities and intelligence sharing at the local level.

This police operation comes amid heightened efforts by Nigerian security agencies to combat the influx of Canadian Loud into the country. Just two weeks earlier, between May 9 and May 12, 2026 , the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted a massive consignment of Canadian Loud weighing 4,173.5 kilograms with a street value of ₦10.4 billion at the Tincan Island Port in Lagos. That seizure followed painstaking intelligence gathering and surveillance of a container that had been tracked from Toronto, Canada , through Montreal and Morocco, before arriving at the Lagos port. The illicit drugs were professionally packed and concealed inside two vehicles – a used Ford Bus and a Mercedes-Benz C300 car – stashed within the shipping container.

That operation came barely four days after NDLEA operatives raided a Lekki mansion used as a stash house, where 4,000 parcels of the same psychoactive substance weighing 2,326 kilograms worth over ₦5.8 billion were recovered. Reacting to the port seizure, NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.) stated: “This second massive seizure in less than a week is a clear message to the international syndicates who think they can use our ports as entry points for their soul-destroying trade, that the synergy between NDLEA and Customs Service, as well as other security agencies and our international partners, is yielding fantastic results.” The Canadian Royal Mounted Police, the UK Home Office International Operations (UK-HOIO), and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have all been involved in intelligence sharing related to the Canadian Loud trafficking routes into West Africa.

Police authorities said exhibits recovered during the operation have been properly documented and will be tendered in court. The suspects are currently in custody while investigations continue to track down other members of the drug trafficking network. The 425 bags of suspected Canadian Loud will be subjected to laboratory analysis to confirm their composition before formal charges are filed. If convicted, the suspects face severe penalties under Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act , which provides for life imprisonment for trafficking in certain quantities of prohibited substances.

As of May 25, 2026 , the investigation remains active, with police authorities stating that more arrests are expected as the dragnet widens. The successful operation and the rejection of the ₦500 million bribe have been hailed as a significant victory in the fight against drug trafficking and corruption within Nigeria’s security apparatus, sending a clear message that law enforcement officers are committed to integrity and professionalism.

Police Reject ₦500m Bribe, Seize 425 Bags of Suspected Canadian Loud Worth ₦7.8bn