N1.043bn Drug Capture: NDLEA Raids Lagos Hotel, 3 Arrested, 2 others at large

Share

Tweet

Share

Share

Email

Comments

BY Bonny Amadi

Nigerian operatives from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have reportedly raided an 80-room hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, which was being used as a front for distributing illicit substances.

It was disclosed that after hours of searching the hotel rooms, the NDLEA recovered 589 bags of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, weighing a total of 417.3 kilograms. The seized drugs have an estimated street value of N1,042,500,000, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director of Media & Advocacy, disclosed in a statement on Sunday.

Three suspects namely, Eze Ayitu, Ofuokwu Samuel, and Emmanuel Ameh were arrested during the operation, which took place between Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26, 2025. Two other individuals, Noble Philip and his partner Kenneth, are currently on the run.

According to a report obtained from Sahara Reporters, the NDLEA’s statement said, “Items suspected to be proceeds of illicit drug trade recovered from the premises housing The Hook Hotel also known as Caesar Hotel and Caesar Lounge located at 16 Waziri Ibrahim street, off Elsie Femi Pearse street, Victoria Island, Lagos, include: Toyota Prado Landcruiser Jeep (Lagos AKD 472 OZ); Toyota Sienna Vehicle (Lagos KJA 79 HJ); Volkswagen Delivery Van (Lagos AAA 525 JE); Kia Cerato Car (Lagos BDG 860 GQ); Grand Caravan Dodge (Lagos APP 847 YF); 74 new TV sets; 10 used TV sets; and 13 refrigerators, among others.

“In another major interdiction in Jigawa state with a follow up operation in Kano, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence on Wednesday 23rd April seized consignments of opioids being moved from Kano to Niger Republic and Yobe state through Jigawa.

“The psychoactive substances were being moved in a Toyota Sienna vehicle marked ABJ 182 NW at about 2:30am on Wednesday along Kano- Ringim Road, Gumel town when anti-narcotic officers on patrol intercepted them with two suspects: Abba Ibrahim, 28, and Shuaibu Umar, 29 arrested.

“Recovered from the Sienna vehicle were 200,000 pills of tramadol 250mg and 217,500 capsules of pregabalin. A swift follow-up operation in Kano led to the arrest of the supplier, 41-year-old Jamilu Muhammad, at his residence located at Mil Tara, Layin Technical area of Kano while additional 1,584,000 pills of tramadol 250mg stacked inside a Nissan 18-seater bus marked DAL 372 XA and a room in his house were discovered and evacuated.”