By Florencemary Nwabueze
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a series of major successes in its ongoing fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse, uncovering a sophisticated plot to smuggle illicit drugs into the country via water purifier machines shipped from the Netherlands.
In a statement released on Sunday by NDLEA Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the agency disclosed that operatives intercepted high-potency drugs concealed inside water purifier machines at a courier company in Lagos on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. The consignment, which originated from Europe, contained 3 kilograms of ketamine and 199 grams of MDMA (Ecstasy) pills, carefully hidden within the household appliances.
In a separate operation in Kaduna State, NDLEA officers arrested a couple, Musa Sunday and Mercy Sunday, alongside another suspect, Salomi Ezekiel, 38. The trio was taken into custody following the seizure of 100 jumbo bags of skunk, with a gross weight of 1,246 kilograms, from their residence in the Gonin Gora area of Kaduna on Sunday, May 24.
The same day along the Abuja-Kaduna highway by Jere, operatives on patrol stopped a 30-year-old suspect, Sunusi Musa, who was found in possession of 380 rounds of military-grade ammunition, specifically RLA 7.62mm, destined for Katsina State. The suspect and the ammunition have since been handed over to the appropriate security agency for further action.
In Niger State, a warehouse raid on Wednesday, May 27, at Gidan Kukah in Bosso LGA led to the recovery of 457 kilograms of skunk. A suspect, Godwin Zakka, 46, was arrested at his residence in Gbeganu, Minna, in connection with the seizure.
In Enugu State, operatives on patrol along the Onitsha/Enugu expressway on Thursday, May 28, intercepted a commercial vehicle heading to Taraba State. A search of the bus marked JAY-158-YF uncovered 22,000 pills of tramadol, 100 ampoules of pentazocine, and 200 grams of bromazepam. One suspect, James Maigari Wisdom, was arrested.
Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities across the country. In the past week, the agency held enlightenment lectures at Government Secondary School in Adiabo (Cross River), St. Patrick’s Memorial College in Wukari (Taraba), Roman Catholic Mission Nursery and Primary School in Ibeju Lekki (Lagos), and Kings Secondary School in Amawbia (Anambra), among others.
Commending the operatives involved in the various commands, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised their efforts in drug supply reduction and balanced enforcement with public sensitization. He charged all personnel across the nation not to rest on their laurels.