The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 25.05 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in imported breakfast cereal packs at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, and arrested a 56-year-old Nigerian suspected of trafficking the substance from South Africa.
The agency also arrested an American professional basketball player over the importation of 33.95kg of a potent cannabis strain known as Loud from Thailand, while operatives uncovered an illegal firearms factory in Kaduna State and seized large quantities of illicit drugs in coordinated operations across six states.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed these developments in a statement issued on Sunday, November 15, 2026, saying the arrests and seizures followed intelligence-led operations by operatives of the agency.
Babafemi said the 56-year-old suspect, identified as Omokan Isaac Babatope, whose real name is Chinedu Onwude, was arrested on Wednesday, November 11, at the arrival hall of Terminal II of the Lagos airport upon returning from South Africa.
He stated that a search of the suspect’s two travelling boxes led to the discovery of 25 parcels of a white crystalline substance weighing 25.05kg, which tested positive for methamphetamine.
According to him, the drugs had been carefully concealed inside packs of assorted breakfast cereals and cereal-based food products in an attempt to evade security screening.
Babafemi said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect, who holds Nigerian and South African passports, had lived in South Africa for more than 24 years under an assumed identity.
He explained that the suspect confessed to adopting the name Omokan Isaac Babatope after using forged documents to gain entry into South Africa and had continued using the identity.
The NDLEA spokesman added that the suspect claimed he was contracted by a South Africa-based individual, Obiora Okoye, to deliver the consignment to Nigeria for a payment of 20,000 South African rands.
In a separate operation at the same airport on November 11, Babafemi said operatives arrested a 28-year-old American citizen, Greene Da’monte Khiree, over a 33.95kg shipment of Loud imported from Thailand through Dubai.
He stated that the suspect arrived in Lagos aboard an Emirates Airline flight from Thailand but attracted the attention of operatives after abandoning two checked-in bags bearing his name while attempting to leave the airport with only his carry-on luggage.
Babafemi said the suspect was apprehended at the airport car park, while a search of the abandoned bags uncovered 32 parcels of Loud weighing 33.95kg and a tracking device.
He added that the suspect, a native of Savannah, Georgia, United States, claimed to have lived in Thailand since October 2025, where he played professional basketball, and said he travelled to Nigeria on holiday to build networks for his basketball career.
However, Babafemi said forensic examination of his mobile phone revealed information suggesting his knowledge of and involvement in the drug trafficking operation.
Babafemi said NDLEA operatives also recorded significant seizures and arrests in Lagos, Kaduna, Ondo, Delta, Edo and Osun states during the period under review.
Lagos: Operatives arrested a 33-year-old man, Taiwo Adebayo Aderoju, at Ebute Metta on November 10, recovering 119.71kg of cannabis. In Ajah on November 14, they recovered 78.8kg of cannabis, 2.5 litres of skuchies, 6.8 litres of codeine syrup, 23 grammes of Rohypnol, 478 grammes of tramadol, 10.6kg of nitrous oxide and 714 grammes of pregabalin from an abandoned Toyota Sienna.
Kaduna: A factory used for the local manufacture of firearms was uncovered at Sabon Garin Kangin on November 9. A 45-year-old suspect, Sagiru Musa, was arrested with 17 locally manufactured Dane guns, two pistols, 25 Dane gun pipes and other materials. A 31-year-old woman, Tabara Dauda, was arrested at Jere along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway on November 13, with 196 live AK-47 ammunition and ₦675,000. Samson Chibuike Andebe, 30, was arrested with 3,840 tablets of tramadol 225mg weighing 2.5kg. 499.3kg of cannabis was recovered from Celestine Chime, 34, and Chibueze Christ, 36, in Gonin-Gora on November 14.
Ondo: Victor William, 42, and Akeem Azeez, 27, were arrested at Olabi village bush on November 10 after bringing out bags of cannabis for sale. They led operatives to a storage facility where 50 bags of cannabis weighing 560kg were recovered. A raid on a cannabis farm in Ipele forest on November 13 led to the arrest of Godwin Benson, 30, Muhammed Awwal, 34, and James Timothy, 18, with 122kg recovered.
Delta: Esther Igba, 43, was arrested at Alihame, Agbor, on November 12, with 255.670kg of cannabis and 1.5kg of cannabis seeds. Aaron Thomas, 25, popularly known as Ibori, was arrested at Oguato, Ughelli South LGA, on November 10, with 360 grammes of cannabis, 12.7 litres of codeine syrup, 500 grammes of tramadol 100mg, 90 grammes of tramadol 200mg, 215 grammes of Swinol and 135 grammes of Molly.
Osun: Eze Chidiebere, 23, and Nwaoge Ugochukwu, 24, were arrested at Owena Forest Reserve with 86kg of cannabis. Ugwu Chukwuemeka, 40, was arrested in the same reserve with 28kg of dried cannabis and 21kg of fresh cannabis leaves. Operatives also destroyed his 0.855-hectare cannabis farm with an estimated yield of 2,137.5kg.
Edo: Blessing Chukwudi, 39, was arrested at Jamila Street, Ikpoba Hill, Benin City, on November 10. 22 compressed parcels of Loud weighing 14kg, 65 grammes of Colorado and 73 grammes of methamphetamine were recovered.