NDLEA intercepts Saudi-bound cannabis hidden in keg at Kano airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted cannabis concealed in a gallon of palm oil at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, arresting a female passenger and her cousin over the consignment bound for Saudi Arabia.

The agency said the 511.75 grammes of cannabis were discovered on Friday, October 16, 2026, during the outward clearance of an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Jeddah via Addis Ababa.

In a statement issued on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said the passenger, identified as Fatimah Ahmad, told operatives that her cousin, Abubakar Yahaya, had given her the gallon.

Yahaya was subsequently arrested at the airport car park, according to the agency.

In a separate operation at the Apapa port in Lagos, NDLEA operatives uncovered 8,725 kilogrammes of powdered tramadol shipped from India and declared as maize starch.

The agency said the seizure followed a joint examination of the shipment with the Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies on October 2.

Laboratory tests confirmed that the substance was tramadol hydrochloride powder. The consignment, which was separated from its concealment on October 14, comprised 349 bags with a street value estimated at more than N6.98 billion.

At the Tincan port in Lagos, officers also discovered 55 kilogrammes of Canadian Loud, valued at N165 million, concealed in a Toyota Sienna inside a 40-foot container on October 12.

The agency said its operatives had continued to intercept illicit drug shipments and arrest suspects in intelligence-led operations across the country.

NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations and urged them to sustain pressure on drug trafficking networks.

Marwa also called for continued implementation of the agency’s balanced approach to drug control, including enforcement and public sensitisation.