NDLEA operatives dismantled a major drug trafficking ring in Lagos following a three-week intelligence operation. On March 11, 2026, officers at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja intercepted 3.10 kilograms of cocaine hidden in palm kernel oil cans at the export shed, arresting Idris Olayiwola Amoo and Akinlami Akinsoji Adedoyin. A follow-up operation on April 2 led to the arrest of the sender, Ezemuwo Joel, who had used a false identity. His capture exposed the alleged syndicate leader, 52-year-old King Arinze, later arrested in Isolo, Lagos. A raid on Arinze's warehouse in Bucknor revealed 886 tins prepared for drug concealment, industrial sealing equipment, paint sprays, and 52 grams of cannabis. Arinze confessed to draining palm kernel oil from the cans to hide cocaine. In Borno state, Aisha Adamu, 28, was arrested along Gamboru Ngala Road with 4.3 kilograms of "Colorado," a synthetic cannabis strain linked to bandit groups. In Lagos, Pastor Afolabi Hodonu of the Celestial Church of Christ and his wife, Success Hodonu, were caught at the Gbaji checkpoint in Badagry with 11 kilograms of skunk in hidden compartments. Additional seizures occurred in Adamawa, Osun, Ondo, Benue, Edo, and Oyo states, including 48,000 tramadol pills, 351kg of skunk, and 1,378kg of skunk from a warehouse. "Iya Elle," a dealer in Ibadan, was arrested with 45.6kg of skunk; she allegedly used her 11-year-old daughter to distribute drugs. NDLEA Chairman/CEO Mohamed Buba Marwa commended officers for their work in supply and demand reduction efforts.
King Arinze's arrest and his method of hiding cocaine in palm kernel oil cans reveal the sophistication of drug concealment tactics now reaching export channels. That a pastor and his wife were also caught smuggling 11 kilograms of skunk underscores how deeply drug trafficking has渗透ed diverse social strata. The involvement of a child in distribution in Ibadan points to the erosion of ethical boundaries in the trade. For Nigerian communities, this signals not just a law enforcement challenge but a growing social crisis masked by routine arrests.
