The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered and dismantled a major drug trafficking syndicate in Kano State that specialised in sponsoring Hajj pilgrims to smuggle drugs to Saudi Arabia.
Three alleged kingpins — Abubakar Muhammad, Abdulhakeem Tijjani, and Muhammad Aji Shugaba — were arrested on May 27 and 28 following the earlier interception of two pilgrims at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
The suspects, Ibrahim Mustapha and Muhammad Shifado, were caught on May 26 during outward clearance for Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 to Jeddah. A body scan revealed they had ingested drugs. Each later excreted 45 pellets of cocaine, totaling 90 wraps weighing 1.04 kilograms.
NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said investigations led to the identification and arrest of the three cartel leaders.
In a separate incident at the same airport, NDLEA officers on May 28 arrested a 60-year-old businessman, Chinedu Leonard Okigbo, during clearance for a Qatar Airways flight to Iran. He excreted 65 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.41 kilograms after a body scan confirmed ingestion.
Meanwhile, a joint operation at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, conducted between May 28 and 30, uncovered 825,200 bottles of codeine-based syrup and trodol, along with 5.1 million tapentadol pills. The drugs, with a combined street value of ₦9.35 billion, were found in seven watch-listed containers.
In another major operation on May 30, NDLEA officers patrolling the Kano–Maiduguri Road intercepted two men, Abubakar Hussein (42) and Sahabi Adamu (53), in possession of $900,000 in suspected counterfeit currency. The case has been referred for further investigation.
In Adamawa State, operatives discovered 390 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 275.3kg abandoned in a Toyota Sienna on the Ngurore–Yola Road on May 27.
Also, in Ilorin, Kwara State, a well-known female drug dealer, Alhaja Mutiat Abdul-Fatai, was arrested on May 31. Tramadol, flunitrazepam, and codeine-based syrup were recovered from her residence.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers for their dedication, praising the Commands in Kano, Port Harcourt, Kwara, and Adamawa for their successful operations.
