NDLEA arrests Fake Police officer, Intercepts N3.4bn Tramadol, Cannabis in Major Nationwide Crackdown
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Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted over 1.3 million pills of tramadol and other opioids, alongside 6,000 kilograms of potent cannabis strains, in a series of major operational breakthroughs across Nigeria, with the seized drugs valued at more than N3.4 billion on the street.
The most significant breakthrough was the interception of 1,200 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 603.75 kilograms and valued at N1,811,250,000. In a related operation, NDLEA operatives arrested 49-year-old Innocent Ekpe along the Benin-Onitsha expressway in Asaba, Delta State, on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. Ekpe, who impersonated a senior police officer to evade checkpoints, was caught with 292.48 kilograms of skunk concealed in his silver Toyota Sienna bus.
Investigations revealed that Ekpe had long paraded himself as Godwin Emeka, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, using a forged identity card to escape scrutiny at checkpoints while ferrying illicit consignments across state lines. His accomplice, 39-year-old Nduka Joseph, was arrested alongside him. In Edo State, operatives acting on intelligence stormed a location on Agbor Road, Benin City, where they arrested 45-year-old Matthew Ossai, who allegedly used his auto-repair workshop as a front for storing illicit drugs. Officers recovered 48 kilograms of Canadian Loud, 152 grams of methamphetamine, and a metal box used to conceal the substances.
The operations form part of a broader, intelligence-driven offensive that has seen the Agency dismantle key trafficking networks and disrupt supply chains across multiple states. The NDLEA said the seizures underscore its resolve to curb the circulation of opioids and potent cannabis strains that continue to fuel criminality and public health concerns.
Commending the officers and men of the various Commands for their professionalism, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), enjoined them and their colleagues nationwide to sustain the Agency’s balanced approach to drug control efforts.
