NDLEA raids three illicit drug warehouses in Lagos, recovers N16.9b worth of opioids
…We’ll continue to degrade your financial base and dismantle your networks, Marwa warns cartels ….commends NDLEA officers for their dexterity and professionalism Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
...We’ll continue to degrade your financial base and dismantle your networks, Marwa warns cartels
....commends NDLEA officers for their dexterity and professionalism
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have raided three illicit drug warehouses hidden in a residential estate in the Okota area of Lagos, where 2,360,000 pills of high-potency tramadol 225mg and 1,909,400 bottles of codeine syrup were found, with a combined street value of N16,927,200,000, and were recovered.
Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, made this known in a statement on Wednesday.
Babafemi said the high-stakes intelligence-led coordinated operations were conducted on Friday, 17th April 2026, at 98 Olukayode Awofisayo Street, Park View Estate, Ago Palace, Okota, where a large warehouse was uncovered, and two others at 5 Charles Ndumetu Street, Park View Estate, Ago Palace, Okota, Lagos State.
He said recovered from the three warehouses were 19,094 cartons containing 1,909,400 bottles of codeine syrup and 2,360,000 pills of high-potency tramadol 225mg pills in another 34 cartons.
Reacting to the development, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) said the successful operations have dealt a staggering blow to the heart of the pharmaceutical drug black market, leading to the dismantling of a major drug syndicate in the country.
Marwa expressed his profound pride in the operatives involved, describing the seizure as a monumental victory in the ongoing fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.
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The NDLEA Boss said, "The scale of this recovery, nearly 4.3 million units of lethal substances, is a testament to the fact that our officers are staying several steps ahead of these merchants of death. To find such volumes hidden within residential estates like Park View and busy hubs like Okota shows the desperation of these cartels, but it also highlights the peerless intelligence capabilities of our team."
He reiterated that there is no safe haven for drug traffickers in Nigeria, adding that whether they hide their illicit goods in elite mansions or suburban warehouses, the Agency's reach is long and its resolve is firm.
"Let this be a clear signal to those who think they can profit from the destruction of our children’s futures: we will find you, we will dismantle your networks, and we will bring the full weight of the law upon you”, he warned.
