By Ebinum Samuel
Destroys 48,750kg skunk in Enugu, Taraba forests; recovers 538,980 pills of tramadol in Kogi, Kaduna, Gombe, others; arrests woman, son for drug trafficking in Lagos
Three years after launching a manhunt for him over drug trafficking offences, a notorious drug kingpin, 36-year-old Sunday Ibigide has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Asaba, Delta state while attempting to move 250 blocks of skunk weighing 138 kilograms with his distribution bus.
Ibigide came under searchlight on 19th March 2022 in connection with the seizure of 24.137kg of same psychoactive substance and 10grams of molly but thereafter went underground. However, following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives in Delta state were able to arrest him along with one of his aides Clement Osuya, 27, while they were trying to move the 250 parcels of skunk for distribution on Sunday 10th August 2025.
No fewer than six suspects were arrested on Thursday 14th and Friday 15th August when NDLEA operatives supported by the military and vigilantes raided three cannabis farms in Enugu Ezike, Enugu state where a total of 37,500kg skunk was destroyed on 15 hectares of farmland. Those arrested include: Ugwuanyi Chinaso, 23; James Negedu, 26; Sopuruchukwu Obido, 22; Ebuka Onu, 30; Ukwueze Sunday, 42; and Oguche Friday; while 74.5kg of the illicit substance was recovered for the prosecution of the suspects.
While 20,700 pills of tramadol and cocodamol were seized from a suspect Emmanuel Ayogu, 53, by NDLEA officers on patrol along Nsukka road, 9th mile Enugu on Saturday 16th August, two other suspects: Nsubechukwu Achidde, 24, and Osiaja Simple Frank, 41, were arrested with 27.6kg skunk same day at the new market, Enugu.
In Lagos, a 52-year-old woman Muyibat Mumuni was arrested with her son Faruk Mumuni, 25, by NDLEA operatives at Ladega street, Mushin on Wednesday 13th August for storing and distributing 298 blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 149kg while another suspect Emmanuel Samuel was nabbed on Friday 15th August in Ajah area of Lekki where 8.5kg Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis was recovered from their apartment
Not less than 128,000 capsules of tramadol were recovered from a suspect Sani Mohammed,32, who was arrested by NDLEA officers at Jauro Jatau, Gombe, Gombe state on Monday 11th August, while a total of 337, 800 capsules of the same pharmaceutical opioid were seized by operatives on patrol along Okene-Lokoja highway, Kogi state from the driver of a commercial bus, Sulaiman Oyedokun, 47, coming from Onitsha, Anambra state and heading to Kotangora, Niger state.
While a total of 11, 250kg skunk was destroyed on 4.5 hectares of farmland on Tuesday 12th August when NDLEA operatives assisted by Sardauna Emirate Council and the Nigeria Forest Hunters Security Service raided the Tanmiya forest in Sardauna LGA, Taraba state, 29, 840 capsules of tramadol were seized from a suspect Saleh Babangida, 20, at a check point in Wukari area of the state on Saturday 16th August.
In Kaduna, two suspects: Mohammed Amdife, 46, and Sulaiman Mohammed, 22, were arrested in connection with the seizure of 22, 640 pills of tramadol and rohypnol at Gwargwaje check point, Zaria and Tudun Wada area of the state. Two other suspects: Caroline David, 51, and Abdulhadi Umar, 30, were nabbed over the seizure of 111.1kg skunk intercepted along Zaria – Kano road.
At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers state, a total of 875,000 bottles of codeine based syrup worth over N6.1billion in street value and 3, 500,000 pills of trodol benzhexol valued at N1.7billion were recovered from five containers under NDLEA intelligence tracking and watch-list during joint examination with Customs Service and other security agencies on Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th August at the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) of the Onne port.
In Edo, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 13th August recovered 24 bags of skunk weighing 432kg in a bush along Warake-Auchi road in Etsako West LGA, while 130kg of same substance was seized at a warehouse in Sobe, Owan West LGA the following day.
A suspect Tahiru Madu Manga, 25, was nabbed by NDLEA officers along Zaria-Kano road, with 16kg skunk and another suspect Ibrahim Audu, 47, arrested with 76kg of the same psychoactive substance at Gadar Tamburawa along Zaria-Kano road, Kano state on Wednesday 13th August.
No fewer than 4, 320 ampoules of ketamine injection were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at Gbaji checkpoint along Badagry-Lagos highway on Monday 11th August with a suspect Akeem Adegun arrested.
In like manner, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA advocacy visits to former Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar in Minna, Niger state; the Emir of Borgu kingdom, HRH Alhaji Muhammad Haliru Dantoro, Kitoro IV, in Borgu kingdom, Niger state ; the Emir of Lafia, Hon. Justice Sidi Bage Mohammed (Rtd), in Lafia, Nasarawa state and the Shehu of Borno, HRH Dr. Abubakar Umar Ibn Garbai Elkanemi, in Maiduguri, Borno state, among others.
While commending the officers and men of PHPC, Gombe, Kogi, Lagos, Edo, Kano, Delta, Taraba, and Seme Commands for the arrests, and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.
According to the NDLEA boss, “It is projected that the number of people using drugs will increase by 40% in Africa. When they say Africa, I want us to think of Nigeria, because Nigeria has one of the highest drug use prevalences in the world.”
He however said that despite the projection by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), all hope is not lost. “As a nation and as communities, we still possess the power to reverse this trend”, he assured.
“The first step is collective responsibility. Parents, religious institutions, traditional rulers, educational authorities and community leaders must rise with one voice against these vices. The family unit must be strengthened as the first point of moral instruction, while schools should be safe spaces that promote discipline, mentorship and awareness.
“We must also invest in youth development by creating opportunities for education, entrepreneurship, skills acquisition and sports. Idle hands, as we know, are the devil’s workshop. When our young people find purpose and meaning, they are less likely to seek false validation from cults or drugs”, Marwa stated.
Dwelling on how the NDLEA is responding to the challenge, Marwa said “we have intensified our war against drug trafficking and abuse.Nationwide raids have led to significant seizures and arrests, which we share weekly on our official channels.
“In the past 54 months, we have arrested 67, 345 traffickers, including 95 barons, and 12, 415 of them are presently serving various jail terms. The barons we have arrested are not anonymous people in society. They include big business people and socialites—some of them have chieftaincy titles—and also government officials, including those tasked with maintaining law and order. That tells how deeply the rot had eaten into the fabric of our society.
“Within the period, we have seized more than 11.2 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs and destroyed 1,572 hectares of cannabis farms mostly in Southwest States where some people are cultivating cannabis on a large scale, utilising land that should have been used for other cash crops for illicit crops.
“We are also scaling up our Drug Demand Reduction programmes, including school outreaches, community sensitisation and rehabilitation initiatives. We have within the same period conducted 11,584 sensitisatioin lectures in schools, work places, woship centres, motor parks, palaces of traditional rulers and communities, while 27, 187 drug users have been treated and rehabilitated through our 30 rehab facilities across the country in addition to thousands of others who have benefitted from the psychosocial support services provided on our tollfree helpline: 080010203040.”
While challenging other stakeholders, he said “we cannot do it alone. We need communities like Ijebu-Ode to partner with us, to speak up, to report suspicious activities and to support our advocacy drives.
“Moreover, security architecture must be enhanced at the grassroots level. Local vigilante groups, properly trained and coordinated, can serve as the eyes and ears of the community, working closely with law enforcement agencies to disrupt cult gatherings and prevent violent incidents.
“We must rekindle the moral and spiritual fabric of our society. We must remind our youth that there is dignity in labour, pride in learning and honour in integrity. The path to greatness is not paved with shortcuts of violence and drugs, but with hard work, vision and purpose.”
He commended the Council of Oloritun for organizing the seminar and the choice of the theme. “Your commitment to community and youth development is clear, and I encourage other councils across Nigeria to emulate this initiative. Let us rise as one people to rescue our children, secure our streets and restore the values that once defined our land”, he added.
In his welcome address, Chairman of the Council, Chief Adebisi Adeola Alausa commended Marwa for accepting the Council’s invitation. “Your presence today reflects our shared commitment to safeguarding the future of our community and our nation. We are gathered here not merely as individuals, but as a united front, as traditional leaders, government officials, parents, educators, and most importantly, our youths, to confront challenges that threaten the very fabric of our society. The issues we address today, the drug abuse, cultism, and banditry, are not distant problems”
Chairman of the occasion, Senator Lekan Mustapha describe different approaches Marwa as a visionary leader based on his past records of performance as military governor of Borno and Lagos as well as his transformation of NDLEA into reckoning both locally and internationally. “That you honoured our invitation shows your passion for the job, the safety and protection of our youths from drug and other vices”, he added.
Marwa seized the opportunity of his presence in Ijebu Ode to pay the family of the late Awujale of Ijebu land, Oba Sikiru Adetona, a condolence visit 
