Nigerian Authorities Foil Multiple Cocaine Export Attempts To UK, Arrest Kingpin, Five Others (Photos)
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has busted two major cocaine cartels behind several drug shipments destined for the United Kingdom, arresting six suspects, including the alleged kingpin, Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode.
According to the agency, the arrests followed “a series of intelligence-led operations that lasted over three weeks across Lagos,” which uncovered six different cocaine shipments concealed in “walls of stainless cups, body cream and hair gel containers.”
In a statement on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA said the operations culminated in the arrest of “five suspects and ultimately the arrowhead of the syndicate, Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode, who parades as a businessman and real estate developer.”
The agency disclosed that “the beginning of the end of the criminal syndicate’s operations began on 16th September 2025, when NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine weighing 13.40 kilograms concealed in walls of cocoa butter body cream containers. A cargo agent was promptly arrested.”
“Further investigations revealed Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode as the mastermind of the shipment, and after weeks of intelligence, it was established that the drug baron had reported a dispute at the Zone 2 headquarters of the Police in Lagos, after which the Agency sought the cooperation of the police to get the suspect into custody,” the statement said.
The agency stated that during interrogation, “Alhaji Hammed Ode admitted ownership of the consignment, which he claimed he bought at over N150 million”.
“He claimed to be a businessman and estate developer following his return from the United Kingdom in 2024,” it said.
NDLEA said Ode “had lived for over 27 years in many European countries, including Austria, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Saudi Arabia, before settling in the UK.”
Similarly, “five other desperate attempts by another criminal syndicate to export cocaine consignments to the United Kingdom were also thwarted by operatives of the MMIA Strategic Command of NDLEA.”
The agency said it intercepted multiple drug consignments and arrested numerous suspects in operations across several Nigerian states between late September and early October 2025.
In Lagos, the agency uncovered a major cocaine smuggling network linked to Smith David Korede. The operation began on September 26 with the seizure of 2.1kg of cocaine hidden in hair cream containers at the Lagos airport export shed.
Following the arrest of a cargo agent, NDLEA recovered another 1.4kg consignment from Korede’s Oshodi residence and intercepted additional shipments totaling 1kg and 1.6kg, all bound for the UK.
Two other suspects, Ogunbiyi Oluseye Taiwo and Popoola Francis Olumuyiwa, were also arrested in connection with the seizures.
NDLEA also intercepted 6.3kg of Loud, a potent cannabis strain, smuggled from Thailand in bedsheets and hibiscus flowers. In a joint operation with the Nigeria Customs Service along the Danbatta-Daura Road in Kano, the agency arrested Sa’adu Ali and seized 290,450 pills of tramadol and pregabalin.
Several high-profile arrests occurred in Lagos, including notorious drug dealer John Igbe, also known as SammyBless, who was apprehended with 550 grams of synthetic cannabis.
Three other suspects were arrested in Mushin with 109kg of skunk, 20 bottles of codeine syrup, and 2kg of nitrous oxide. Additional seizures included 3,700 bottles of codeine syrup and 550,000 caplets of expired diclofenac at the Trade Fair Complex, Alaba.
Operations extended nationwide. In Kwara, authorities seized 27,700 tramadol pills from Salisu Abubakar. In Kaduna, Blessing Ovaka was caught with 498.5kg of skunk, while Dahiru Salisu had 34,180 tramadol capsules. Ogun State saw the arrest of Abubakar Audu with 112kg of skunk and 16 grams of tramadol.
In Osun, NDLEA destroyed 14,000kg of skunk on a 5.6-hectare cannabis plantation and recovered 142kg of the substance, arresting three suspects.
In Edo State, a Toyota Sienna carrying 244.5kg of skunk was intercepted in Igbanke, and two suspects were later arrested following the destruction of 10,897kg of cannabis across four farms in Ugbodo forest. Further operations along the Okene-Lokoja highway and in Abuja led to the seizure of additional quantities of Loud, Colorado, and skunk, with multiple arrests made.
NDLEA said the operations demonstrate its commitment to disrupting drug trafficking networks and protecting Nigerian communities from the growing scourge of illicit substances.