Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have recovered illicit drugs valued at over N1.04 billion during a raid on a hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos.
According to the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the operation, carried out between Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26, 2025, led to the recovery of 589 bags of drugs weighing 417.3 kilograms.
Three suspects — Eze Ayitu, Ofuokwu Samuel, and Emmanuel Ameh — were arrested at the scene, while two others, Noble Philip and his partner identified as Kenneth, remain at large.
The NDLEA said the seized items, believed to be proceeds of the drug trade, were found within “The Hook Hotel,” also known as Caesar Hotel and Caesar Lounge, located at 16 Waziri Ibrahim Street, off Elsie Femi Pearse Street, Victoria Island.
Among the recovered items were a Toyota Prado Land Cruiser Jeep (Lagos AKD 472 OZ), a Toyota Sienna (Lagos KJA 79 HJ), a Volkswagen delivery van (Lagos AAA 525 JE), a Kia Cerato (Lagos BDG 860 GQ), and a Grand Caravan Dodge (Lagos APP 847 YF).
Authorities also seized 74 new television sets, 10 used televisions, and 13 refrigerators, among other valuables.
This operation came shortly after another major drug interception by the NDLEA.
Barely a week earlier, officers from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) had uncovered 20 parcels of cocaine hidden inside religious books destined for Saudi Arabia.
In a similar bust, 46 wraps of cocaine weighing 547 grams were discovered concealed in body cream, also intended for the Middle East.
The seizure occurred on Wednesday, April 23, at a courier firm in Lagos.
That same day, agents intercepted another shipment containing 1.8 kilograms of pentazocine injections and 60 grams of bromazepam tablets bound for Canada.
In a separate operation in Jigawa and Kano states, NDLEA operatives, acting on intelligence, intercepted large consignments of opioids being transported from Kano to Niger Republic and Yobe State.
A Toyota Sienna vehicle (registration ABJ 182 NW) carrying the drugs was stopped around 2:30 a.m. along the Kano-Ringim Road in Gumel Town.
Two suspects, Abba Ibrahim, 28, and Shuaibu Umar, 29, were arrested.
Recovered from the vehicle were 200,000 pills of tramadol (250mg) and 217,500 capsules of pregabalin.
A follow-up operation in Kano led to the arrest of the suspected supplier, 41-year-old Jamilu Muhammad, at his residence in the Mil Tara, Layin Technical area of the state.
