NDLEA seizes N6.98bn tramadol, cannabis in palm oil at Kano airport
NDLEA intercepted a Saudi Arabia-bound consignment of 511.75 grammes of cannabis hidden in a gallon of palm oil at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, arresting passenger Fatimah Ahmad and her cousin Abubakar Yahaya. Simultaneously, the agency seized 8,725 kilogrammes of powdered tramadol valued at over N6.98 billion at Apapa port, Lagos, after uncovering a shipment declared as maize starch. Additional operations across Lagos, Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna and the FCT recovered thousands of kilogrammes of cannabis, tens of thousands of tramadol tablets, diazepam ampoules, Molly tablets and other opioids, including 55 kg of potent Canadian Loud cannabis at Tin Can Island Port and 10,600 diazepam injections from a store in Idumota Market.
These seizures illustrate the scale and sophistication of drug trafficking networks that conceal narcotics in everyday goods, fuel addiction, fund crime and threaten public health nationwide. The geographic spread shows no state is immune, and the street value of the tramadol alone exceeds the annual budget of many local governments.
If you encounter unusual packages, offers to move goods for cash, or suspect drug activity in your community, will you report to NDLEA via its hotline 0800-100-0000 or ignore due to fear of retaliation? Staying vigilant and refusing to facilitate transport protects not only yourself but also neighbours and the broader society.