LAGOS — The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced a series of significant drug seizures across Nigeria, headlined by the arrest of a 63-year-old Chinese national at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

The suspect, identified as Ting Kiong, was apprehended on May 17, 2026, upon her arrival from Thailand via Dubai. NDLEA operatives at Terminal 2 intercepted her with two large travel boxes containing 31 kilograms of "Canadian Loud," a potent synthetic strain of cannabis. The suspect, who claims to work as a carer in Malaysia, told investigators she was sponsored by her daughter and was tasked with delivering the illicit consignment upon her arrival in Nigeria.

A Massive Opioid Haul

Beyond the arrest at the arrival terminal, the agency successfully intercepted a large-scale shipment of restricted pharmaceuticals. Following a joint effort with the Nigeria Customs Service, officials secured 29 large cartons containing over 1.8 million tablets of Tapentadol 250mg.

The consignment, which arrived from India via an Emirates Cargo flight, has an estimated street value of over ₦2.1 billion. The NDLEA stated that the shipment had been under close surveillance since its arrival at the Lagos airport import shed before being officially handed over on May 22.

Nationwide Enforcement Actions

The wave of interceptions extended across multiple states, reflecting a coordinated crackdown on drug trafficking:

    •    Enugu: Onyeka Valentine Emeka was arrested at Akanu Ibiam International Airport after excreting 185.36 grams of cocaine following his arrival from Sierra Leone.

    •    Abuja: Babatunde Prosper Afekhide, a 29-year-old building engineer, was detained at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport while attempting to fly to Milan, Italy. He was found with over 10,000 pills of tramadol and tapentadol concealed within a carton inside his suitcase.

    •    Edo & Ekiti: Intelligence-led raids in Owan East (Edo) and Ikole-Ekiti (Ekiti) resulted in the recovery of over 1,600 kilograms of skunk, with two suspects taken into custody.

    •    Kano: Operatives intercepted 196,000 pills of Exol-5 along the Zaria–Kano Road on May 20.

In addition to the airport and roadside seizures, the agency's courier monitoring units intercepted several smaller packages containing ecstasy and tramadol destined for the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman of the NDLEA, commended the officers involved in the operations. He reiterated the agency’s commitment to both supply reduction strategies and ongoing public sensitization campaigns through its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative.