UK-Based Public Health Assistant Arrested In Lagos with Tramadol Concealed In Frozen Snails (Video)
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have seized consignments of illicit drugs hidden inside frozen snails, electrical bulbs, and women’s clothing, destined for the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The NDLEA made this known in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
According to the statement, the consignments of illicit drugs concealed in frozen snails, electrical bulbs, and female clothes heading to the United States, United Kingdom, and Democratic Republic of Congo have been intercepted by operatives of the NDLEA at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) and a courier company in Lagos.
“At least, two suspects linked to attempts to export the illicit substances have already been taken into custody,” it said.
Babafemi said one of the suspects, a cargo agent identified as Boladale Riliwan, was arrested on October 7, 2025, after NDLEA officers discovered 15 parcels of skunk concealed in 10 giant rechargeable electrical bulbs he presented for airfreight to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at the Lagos airport export shed.
He added that another suspect, 48-year-old Olawale Oyebola Hakeemot, a UK-based Public Health Assistant, “was arrested on Sunday, 12th October at the departure hall of Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.”
Babafemi said the suspect was arrested “following the discovery of frozen snails used to conceal 2,300 pills of tramadol 225mg in her luggage while heading to Manchester, United Kingdom, on a Qatar Airways flight.”
According to him, an attempt by another syndicate to export 810 pills of bromazepam hidden in female clothes going to the United States was also thwarted by NDLEA officers at a courier company in Lagos on Thursday, 16th October.
The agency also reported several arrests and seizures across the country.
“In Adamawa, a suspect, Bello Buba, was intercepted at an NDLEA checkpoint in Namtari, Yola South LGA, with 38,270 pills of tramadol concealed in the spare tyre, boot, and door compartments of his Honda Civic car,” Babafemi stated.
“He drove all the way from the Benin Republic to smuggle the consignment into Nigeria on Sunday, 12th October.”
In Ekiti State, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives destroyed 53,250 kilograms of skunk cultivated on 21.3 hectares of cannabis farmland in Ilawe Ekiti, and recovered 1,140kg of the same substance during an operation that lasted between October 12 and 13.
“Suspects arrested include: Matthew Emmanuel, 26; James Moses, 27; and Israel Samuel, 20
“This followed the destruction of 17,400kg of skunk on 6.96 hectares of plantation at Aponmu forest reserve, Akure, Ondo State, on Sunday, 12th October,” Babafemi stated.
In Oyo State, NDLEA operatives arrested Aliyu Muhammed, 50; Babarinde Segun, 32; Ogunbiyi Sanjo, 30; and Ajani Oluro, 30, with 596kg of skunk at Apata-Ako, Igboora.
Similarly, Jacob Afolabi, 30, and Salako Oluwatobi, 25, were arrested with 273kg of the same substance at Odo-Oyan, Igangan, on Thursday, October 16.
“While Joseph Andrew was arrested in possession of 88kg of skunk on Wednesday, 15th October, by NDLEA operatives at Ona–Imeko, Ogun State, another suspect, Festus Udoh, 42, was nabbed with 13,000 pills of opioids along the Onitsha–Owerri road in Imo State,” the agency added.
In Enugu State, operatives recovered 74.5kg of skunk from the store of a suspect, Joseph Chukwujamaa, at Umuogbo-Agu village on Saturday, 18th October.
Also in Lagos, Babafemi said no fewer than 11 bags of skunk weighing 117kg were recovered from the base of a suspect, Ramoni Olukowi, in the Mushin area on Saturday, October 18.
He said that a total of 80,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup were intercepted in a container earlier watch-listed by NDLEA coming from India during a joint examination with men of the Customs Service and other security agencies at the Apapa Port on Tuesday, October 14.