The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully disrupted a sophisticated drug trafficking syndicate operating out of Kano, Nigeria, which utilized unsuspecting Hajj pilgrims as drug mules to smuggle illicit substances into Saudi Arabia. The operation, which unfolded over several days, resulted in the arrest of three key figures in the cartel and two pilgrims who were unwittingly carrying cocaine pellets within their bodies. This sophisticated scheme exploited the religious pilgrimage to mask the movement of drugs, highlighting the lengths criminal organizations will go to evade detection. The arrests followed an intensive investigation triggered by the initial apprehension of two individuals at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).
The operation began on May 26, 2025, when NDLEA officers at MAKIA intercepted two prospective pilgrims, Ibrahim Mustapha and Muhammad Shifado, during pre-flight screening for an Ethiopian Airlines flight bound for Jeddah. Acting on intelligence, authorities subjected the individuals to body scans, which revealed the presence of ingested foreign objects. Subsequent monitoring and medical examination confirmed the presence of 90 cocaine pellets, with each individual carrying 45 pellets weighing a total of 1.04kg. This initial discovery served as the catalyst for a deeper investigation into the network behind the attempted smuggling operation.
The investigation swiftly led to the identification and apprehension of three suspected kingpins of the drug trafficking ring, Abubakar Muhammad, Abdulhakeem Tijjani, and Muhammad Aji Shugaba. These individuals were arrested in Kano on May 27 and 28, 2025, effectively dismantling the leadership of the organization that specialized in exploiting Hajj pilgrimages as a cover for drug smuggling. The successful apprehension of the cartel leaders represents a significant victory for the NDLEA in its ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking within Nigeria and beyond its borders. This operation demonstrates the agency’s ability to effectively follow leads and dismantle entire criminal networks.
Beyond the Hajj-related operation, the NDLEA continued its crackdown on drug trafficking throughout the country. At the same airport in Kano, a 60-year-old businessman, Chinedu Leonard Okigbo, was arrested while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Iran. A body scan revealed ingested illicit substances, and he subsequently expelled 65 cocaine wraps weighing 1.41kg. This separate incident underscores the prevalence of drug trafficking attempts through Nigerian airports and the vigilance of NDLEA officers in intercepting these attempts, regardless of the intended destination.
In a major operation at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, in Rivers State, NDLEA operatives, working in conjunction with other agencies, conducted an extensive examination of seven flagged shipping containers. This operation, carried out between May 28 and 30, yielded a substantial seizure of codeine-based syrup and other pharmaceuticals. The haul included 825,200 bottles of codeine syrup and trodol with an estimated street value of ₦5.78 billion, and 5.1 million tapentadol 225mg pills valued at ₦3.57 billion. The combined street value of the seized pharmaceuticals totalled a staggering ₦9.35 billion, representing a significant blow to the illicit drug trade.
The NDLEA’s efforts extended beyond drug seizures, encompassing operations to counter other forms of illicit activity. On May 30, along the Kano-Maiduguri Road, operatives intercepted two individuals, Abubakar Hussein and Sahabi Adamu, in possession of $900,000 in suspected counterfeit currency. This case was transferred to the relevant authorities for further investigation, demonstrating the agency’s multifaceted approach to combating various criminal enterprises. In other parts of the country, significant drug seizures were made, including 390 compressed blocks of skunk cannabis weighing 275.3kg abandoned in Adamawa State and various opioids recovered from a notorious female drug dealer, Alhaja Mutiat Abdul-Fatai, in Kwara State. These operations, combined with the arrests and seizures in Kano and Port Harcourt, demonstrate the breadth of the NDLEA’s reach and its commitment to disrupting drug trafficking networks across Nigeria. The chairman of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), commended the officers involved in these operations, emphasizing the agency’s continued focus on both drug supply reduction and demand reduction strategies.
