Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have successfully intercepted two boats carrying a massive 1,960 kilograms of cannabis, commonly known as “Ghanaian Loud,” at Eleko Beach in Lekki, Lagos, on Christmas Eve.
The seizure, which occurred during a midnight operation, resulted in the arrest of six foreign nationals, including two Ghanaians and four Beninese nationals.
The agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the operation on Sunday, detailing that the cannabis was smuggled into Nigeria via waterways from Ghana.
The arrested suspects are Godsway John (38) and Freedom Kelvin (33) from Ghana, as well as Chegoun Hounsou (23), Gadabor Nyameto (47), Adantg Sasa (34), and Ayao Kayivi (21) from Benin.
The boats were intercepted around 2:30 AM on Christmas Eve by the Marine Command of the NDLEA, who successfully halted the large-scale smuggling attempt.
Babafemi noted that the cannabis, a potent strain of the drug, was concealed in the boats, and the six suspects were apprehended during the operation.
In a separate incident, Babafemi also disclosed the arrest of Orizu Arthur, a 48-year-old businessman, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on December 22.
Arthur, who was preparing to board a flight to Paris, was flagged during passenger clearance when he refused a body scan, citing medical reasons.
Upon further investigation, Arthur was found to be carrying 74 wraps of Class A drugs, which he had ingested in an attempt to smuggle them abroad.
He confessed that he was promised 3,000 Euros for successfully delivering the drugs to Paris.
Meanwhile, in Katsina, two individuals were arrested for possession of compressed cannabis sativa.
Ibrahim Shaibu, 35, was arrested at Central Motor Park on Christmas Day with 35 kg of the drug, while Umar Ahmed, 47, was caught on December 28 along Zaria-Malumfashi road with 13.5 kg of cannabis.
In Benin City, Edo State, a raid on December 23 led to the arrest of 21-year-old Kosisochukwu Ozigbo, who was found in possession of 32,490 pills of tramadol, 936 bottles of codeine-based syrup, and various other opioids.
The NDLEA’s actions continue to highlight the agency’s commitment to combating drug trafficking and ensuring public safety, with multiple operations leading to significant drug seizures and arrests across the country during the festive period.