NDLEA uncovers N16.9bn worth of opioids in Lagos warehouse raid
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have uncovered and raided three illicit drug warehouses in Lagos, recovering opioids valued at about N16.9 billion in what officials described as a major breakthrough in the fight against drug trafficking.
The agency disclosed that the intelligence-led operations targeted locations within the Okota area of Lagos, where traffickers had concealed large quantities of banned substances inside residential buildings.
According to a statement issued by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the coordinated raids were carried out on April 17, 2026, at multiple addresses within Park View Estate, Ago Palace, Okota.
During the operation, officials uncovered a major warehouse at 98 Olukayode Awofisayo Street, alongside two others at 5 Charles Ndumetu Street, all within the same estate, where the illicit drugs had been stockpiled.
Recovered from the sites were 2,360,000 pills of high-potency tramadol and 1,909,400 bottles of codeine syrup, packed in dozens of cartons, bringing the total estimated street value of the seizure to N16,927,200,000.
Reacting to the development, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, said the operation dealt a significant blow to a major drug syndicate and the wider pharmaceutical black market in Nigeria.
He commended the operatives for their professionalism and precision, noting that the scale of the seizure, involving nearly 4.3 million units of controlled substances, demonstrated the agency’s growing intelligence capabilities and determination to stay ahead of criminal networks.
Marwa further warned drug traffickers that there would be no hiding place for them, stressing that the agency would continue to dismantle their operations and weaken their financial base, regardless of where the illicit substances are concealed.
