Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted and arrested a man with 1,125 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition in Kaduna.

Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, in a statement on Sunday, revealed that the agency also uncovered and dismantled a social media network used to distribute illicit substances packaged as imported Christmas cookies and snacks, with two masterminds arrested and taken into custody after a raid on their hideout in the Lekki area of Lagos.

He also revealed that a suspect, John Ekojo, 51, was arrested with 210.15kg of skunk along the Abuja–Jos highway on Saturday, 29th November, while a couple, Abdullahi Abubakar, 45, and Jamila Abdullahi, 35, were nabbed along the Abuja–Kaduna highway with 725 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.

The ammunition was concealed in a sack of maize. Another suspect, Awwal Sabiu, 20, was also caught with 400 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition at the Abuja–Kaduna tollgate on Friday, 28th November.

Although the source and destination of the illegal consignments were not disclosed, the federal government had in recent years expressed worries over the smuggling of weapons, which has fuelled the ongoing insecurity across the country.

The NDLEA noted that drug cartels remain unrelenting despite the vigour with which the commands and formations of the agency are tackling drug problems nationwide.

The NDLEA, however, assured that it will continue its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities, especially in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.

The agency alleged that the duo of Deji Adesanya and Olubiyi Majekodunmi had imported consignments of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis and a variety of colourful designer sachets with pictures and labels of cookies and snacks printed on them, and used to package the psychoactive substance in retail quantities.

“Following credible intelligence about the activities of the syndicate which operates and distributes through a WhatsApp platform, NDLEA operatives on Saturday 22nd November 2025 raided their apartment at Ojulari street, Ikate area of Lekki where a large quantity of the designer sachets and 5kilograms of Loud were recovered from them at the point of their arrest.”

In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA said its operatives on Thursday 27th November arrested a 38-year-old drug kingpin Philip Ucheka while taking delivery of 110 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 55.6kg at Ladipo area of Mushin.

“At the point of his arrest, three delivery vehicles were also seized from him.

“At a courier company in Lagos, 100grams of Loud concealed in teddy bear imported from Thailand were intercepted on Thursday 27th November while a consignment of 548 capsules of tramadol hidden in bottles of Vitamin C and Magnesium going to the United Kingdom were recovered at another logistics firm the following day, Friday 28th November.

“In Oyo state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Lagos -Ibadan expressway on Saturday 29th November nabbed a suspect Wasiu Kareem, 55, with 8,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection; 590 bottles of codeine syrup; 1,500 pills of Co-codamol and 9,900 capsules of tramadol.”

Read also: NDLEA alerts Nigerians on fake medicinal cannabis, arrests kingpin

The anti-narcotic agency disclosed that no fewer than seven suspects were arrested on Monday 24th November when NDLEA operatives raided the Ipe forest in Akoko South East area of Ondo State where they recovered 3,077 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis.

“Those arrested include: John Ede; Ede Ndubuisi; Ikenna Abe; Eze Chukwuma; Maduabuchi Odo; Nnaji Chudubem and Gorge Okowor.

“While Anthony Sylvester, 49, was arrested along Okene/Lokoja highway Kogi state conveying 649kg skunk in a truck on Wednesday 26th November, NDLEA officers at the Seme Special Area Command on Friday 28th November raided a warehouse at Ashipa, Seme border area of Badagry, Lagos where they arrested a suspect Abubakar Shuaibu, 33, with 487 blocks of skunk weighing 243.5kg.

“In Kano, Tsalha Alasan, 47, was arrested along Zaria-Kano road with 137kg skunk on Monday 24th November, while three suspects: Godspower Appeal, 50; Ernest Upong, 55; and Godday Chukwudi, 38, were nabbed on Wednesday 26th November with 322 blocks of skunk weighing 209kilograms at Fanshanu village, Toro LGA, Bauchi state. A black Toyota Highlander jeep marked ABJ 533 EA used in conveying the consignment was also recovered from them.”