By Chimezie Godfrey
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 22 Indian nationals, including the captain of a foreign vessel, following the seizure of 31.5 kilograms of cocaine at the Apapa Port in Lagos.
The Agency also intercepted consignments of Ketamine, Ecstasy and Tramadol pills concealed in coffee sachets and parcels destined for Zambia and the United Kingdom.
The Director, Media & Advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said the drugs hidden in coffee sachets were seized at a courier company in Lagos on December 24 and 29, 2025.
“Drug traffickers are becoming increasingly desperate, hiding illicit substances in everyday items such as coffee sachets and books, but our officers are ahead of them,” Babafemi said.
He explained that the cocaine was found on board MV Aruna Hulya during a routine search at the GDNL Terminal, Apapa, on January 2, 2026.
Those arrested include the vessel’s master, Sharma Shashi Bhushan, and 21 other Indian crew members.
In Ibadan, Oyo State, NDLEA operatives arrested a 65-year-old woman, Fatima Ilori, also known as Mama Kerosine, described as a major distributor of illicit drugs in the state.
“She had been on our wanted list for a long time. Her arrest followed the seizure of 238.4 kilograms of skunk traced to her network,” Babafemi disclosed.
The Agency also intercepted large quantities of drugs in Borno State, disrupting supply lines to insurgents, while similar seizures were recorded in Lagos, Kwara and Jigawa States.
Babafemi added that NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools and communities across the country.