By Odita Sunday
Drug traffickers allegedly went to unusual lengths to disguise their consignments, hiding Colorado in music speakers and even concealing diazepam tablets inside loaves of bread, as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) uncovered more than 2.3 tonnes of assorted illicit drugs in operations across eight states.
The operations according to a statement signed by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, on Sunday, 13th September 2026, also exposed attempts to bring Colorado, popularly known as “colos,” into Nigeria from the United Kingdom through consolidated cargoes, while several suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted a UK-inbound consignment containing 27 parcels of Colorado weighing 32.20kg.
A real estate agent, Abideen Jide Salami, was arrested on Wednesday, 9th September 2026, after allegedly arriving to collect a large luggage containing the drug using a secret collection code reportedly sent to him by his brother in the UK.
Another UK consignment containing 12.25kg of Colorado was subsequently intercepted, leading to the arrest of Nurudeen Abiodun Kadiri, 44. The suspect reportedly told investigators that his brother in the UK sent the consignment.
The agency also uncovered another attempt to move Colorado through Lagos motor parks, with the drug allegedly hidden inside music speakers.
At Maza Maza motor park, operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted a music speaker containing three packs of Colorado. The consignment was reportedly headed to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and ultimately Liberia.
A sting operation at a nearby eatery led to the arrest of tour agent Ifeanyi Obed Augustine, 41, and the alleged owner of the consignment, Obasi Ugochuckwu, 46.
At Iddo park, another suspect, Ifeanyi Nwokolo Henry, was arrested on Friday, 11th September, while allegedly attempting to dispatch 2.1kg of Colorado to Kano.
The crackdown continued across other states.
In Delta State, separate operations in Ughelli and Asaba resulted in the recovery of pentazocine injection, codeine syrup, tramadol, diazepam, flunitrazepam (hypnox) and MDMA (Molly). Some of the drugs were allegedly concealed inside music speakers.
Two suspects, Emeka Oji and Chukwuebuka Anedi, were arrested in connection with the seizures.
In Kano, NDLEA operatives raided an area in Sabon Gari and arrested 20-year-old Saidu Adamu with 785,000 capsules of Pregabalin weighing 669.425kg.
The agency also intercepted 1,700 tablets of diazepam allegedly hidden inside loaves of bread during a stop-and-search operation along the Zaria–Kano–Hadejia road. Habibu Sabitu, 28, was arrested.
At Katako market in Jos, Plateau State, 51-year-old Chinedu Uzor was arrested with 157,100 capsules of tramadol.
The NDLEA also continued its campaign against cannabis cultivation, destroying 4,832.56kg of skunk from farms in Usen Forest, Igwe-Oke Forest and Ogboha Forest in Ovia South West, Owan East and Owan West Local Government Areas of Edo State.
A 39-year-old suspect, Sunday Segun, was arrested during the operation on Friday, 11th September.
In Ondo State, officers acting on intelligence raided a residence along Oke-Iya, Ijoka Road, Akure, on Wednesday, 9th September, where they found 186kg of skunk allegedly hidden in the boot of a Toyota Avalon marked ABJ 917 FV.
A 58-year-old suspect, Paul Ogbuwala, was arrested. The NDLEA said he was planning to move the consignment to Jos for onward distribution.
In Kaduna, a female suspect, Hannah Michael, was arrested at Gonin Gora with 369.6kg of cannabis.
In Bayelsa State, four suspects, including 70-year-old Godwoman Gboriye, were arrested at Ovom, Yenagoa, with 110 bags of cannabis weighing 876kg.
The other suspects were identified as Motombo Silver, 44; Pere Andrew, 39; and Keme Andrew, 43.
While the arrests and seizures dominated the week’s operations, the NDLEA said it also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.
Among the activities were an enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Mezube Islamiyya Academy, Tudun Wada, Kano; an advocacy visit to the management of Cross River State College of Health Technology, Calabar; and a visit by Rikkos traditional rulers to the NDLEA Academy in Jos.
The Zone 4 Command also paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Keffi, Alhaji Shehu Chindo Yamusa 111, in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
Commending the officers involved in the operations, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), urged personnel across the country to sustain the agency’s efforts to disrupt drug trafficking.
Marwa charged officers to continue targeting the various routes used by drug cartels, including airports, seaports, land borders and cannabis-growing communities.
The statement was signed by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, on Sunday, 13th September 202### NDLEA Intercepts UK Colos Shipments, Finds Drugs Hidden In Bread, Speakers
Drug traffickers allegedly went to unusual lengths to disguise their consignments, hiding Colorado in music speakers and even concealing diazepam tablets inside loaves of bread, as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) uncovered more than 2.3 tonnes of assorted illicit drugs in operations across eight states.
The operations also exposed attempts to bring Colorado, popularly known as “colos,” into Nigeria from the United Kingdom through consolidated cargoes, while several suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted a UK-inbound consignment containing 27 parcels of Colorado weighing 32.20kg.
A real estate agent, Abideen Jide Salami, was arrested on Wednesday, 9th September 2026, after allegedly arriving to collect a large luggage containing the drug using a secret collection code reportedly sent to him by his brother in the UK.
Another UK consignment containing 12.25kg of Colorado was subsequently intercepted, leading to the arrest of Nurudeen Abiodun Kadiri, 44. The suspect reportedly told investigators that his brother in the UK sent the consignment.
The agency also uncovered another attempt to move Colorado through Lagos motor parks, with the drug allegedly hidden inside music speakers.
At Maza Maza motor park, operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted a music speaker containing three packs of Colorado. The consignment was reportedly headed to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and ultimately Liberia.
A sting operation at a nearby eatery led to the arrest of tour agent Ifeanyi Obed Augustine, 41, and the alleged owner of the consignment, Obasi Ugochuckwu, 46.
At Iddo park, another suspect, Ifeanyi Nwokolo Henry, was arrested on Friday, 11th September, while allegedly attempting to dispatch 2.1kg of Colorado to Kano.
The crackdown continued across other states.
In Delta State, separate operations in Ughelli and Asaba resulted in the recovery of pentazocine injection, codeine syrup, tramadol, diazepam, flunitrazepam (hypnox) and MDMA (Molly). Some of the drugs were allegedly concealed inside music speakers.
Two suspects, Emeka Oji and Chukwuebuka Anedi, were arrested in connection with the seizures.
In Kano, NDLEA operatives raided an area in Sabon Gari and arrested 20-year-old Saidu Adamu with 785,000 capsules of Pregabalin weighing 669.425kg.
The agency also intercepted 1,700 tablets of diazepam allegedly hidden inside loaves of bread during a stop-and-search operation along the Zaria–Kano–Hadejia road. Habibu Sabitu, 28, was arrested.
At Katako market in Jos, Plateau State, 51-year-old Chinedu Uzor was arrested with 157,100 capsules of tramadol.
The NDLEA also continued its campaign against cannabis cultivation, destroying 4,832.56kg of skunk from farms in Usen Forest, Igwe-Oke Forest and Ogboha Forest in Ovia South West, Owan East and Owan West Local Government Areas of Edo State.
A 39-year-old suspect, Sunday Segun, was arrested during the operation on Friday, 11th September.
In Ondo State, officers acting on intelligence raided a residence along Oke-Iya, Ijoka Road, Akure, on Wednesday, 9th September, where they found 186kg of skunk allegedly hidden in the boot of a Toyota Avalon marked ABJ 917 FV.
A 58-year-old suspect, Paul Ogbuwala, was arrested. The NDLEA said he was planning to move the consignment to Jos for onward distribution.
In Kaduna, a female suspect, Hannah Michael, was arrested at Gonin Gora with 369.6kg of cannabis.
In Bayelsa State, four suspects, including 70-year-old Godwoman Gboriye, were arrested at Ovom, Yenagoa, with 110 bags of cannabis weighing 876kg.
The other suspects were identified as Motombo Silver, 44; Pere Andrew, 39; and Keme Andrew, 43.
While the arrests and seizures dominated the week’s operations, the NDLEA said it also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.
Among the activities were an enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Mezube Islamiyya Academy, Tudun Wada, Kano; an advocacy visit to the management of Cross River State College of Health Technology, Calabar; and a visit by Rikkos traditional rulers to the NDLEA Academy in Jos.
The Zone 4 Command also paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Keffi, Alhaji Shehu Chindo Yamusa 111, in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
Commending the officers involved in the operations, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), urged personnel across the country to sustain the agency’s efforts to disrupt drug trafficking.
Marwa charged officers to continue targeting the various routes used by drug cartels, including airports, seaports, land borders and cannabis-growing communities.
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