Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have raided three illicit drug warehouses hidden in a residential estate in Okota, Lagos, recovering opioids with a combined street value of N16.9 billion. The intelligence-led operations on Friday, 17 April 2026, uncovered 2,360,000 pills of high-potency tramadol 225mg and 1,909,400 bottles of codeine syrup at 98 Olukayode Awofisayo Street and 5 Charles Ndumetu Street, both in Park View Estate, Ago Palace, Okota.
Recovered from the three warehouses were 19,094 cartons containing the codeine syrup and another 34 cartons with the tramadol pills. NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) said the seizure dealt a “staggering blow” to the heart of the pharmaceutical drug black market and dismantled a major drug syndicate. He described it as a monumental victory, noting that finding nearly 4.3 million units of lethal substances hidden in residential estates shows the desperation of cartels but also highlights the Agency’s intelligence capabilities.
Marwa reiterated that there is no safe haven for drug traffickers in Nigeria, warning that whether illicit goods are hidden in elite mansions or suburban warehouses, the Agency’s reach is long and its resolve firm. “We will find you, we will dismantle your networks, and we will bring the full weight of the law upon you,” he said, commending NDLEA officers for their dexterity and professionalism.
