The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Tuesday confirmed it is working with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to investigate the cartel responsible for the importation of 1,000 kilograms of cocaine seized at the PTML Terminal of Tincan Island Port, Lagos.
According to Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA, the shipment was discovered in an empty container over the weekend by port operators, who alerted NDLEA, Customs, and other security stakeholders. Preliminary field tests by NDLEA confirmed the contents as cocaine, after which the consignment was formally placed under NDLEA custody on 11 November 2025. The handover followed coordination between NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), and Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr. Adewale Adeniyi.
Brigadier General Marwa noted the significance of the seizure, valued at over $235 million (approximately N338 billion) on the international market, and emphasised the need for global cooperation.
“The essence of collaborating with our international partners on this case is to ensure no stone is left unturned and every gap is sufficiently covered so that ultimately we can get all the masterminds of this huge consignment brought to book wherever they are located across the globe,” he said, adding that the joint investigation reflects direct engagement with the Customs leadership.
Officers from the US-DEA and UK-NCA have since joined the ongoing probe, which NDLEA described as the largest single cocaine seizure recorded at Tincan Port. Investigators are examining the shipment’s origins and the network behind its importation, aiming to dismantle the transnational operations associated with the consignment.
He confirmed that the agency’s collaboration with international partners seeks to strengthen oversight and accountability in addressing large-scale drug trafficking into Nigeria.
Wanted Drug Kingpin Arrested at Lagos Airport
Recall that on Sunday, November 9, 2025, in a statement, Babafemi revealed that the NDLEA arrested a wanted drug kingpin, Yussuf Abayomi Azeez (40), at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, while he was attempting to travel to Saudi Arabia for Umrah.
The arrest, which followed months of surveillance, led directly to the dismantling of a massive clandestine laboratory in Lekki producing synthetic cannabis.
Yussuf Abayomi Azeez was previously arrested and charged for drug offences in the United Kingdom, but he reportedly jumped bail and escaped to Nigeria. Upon settling in Lagos, he allegedly established a large clandestine laboratory in the Lekki area for the production of Colorado—a deadly synthetic cannabis—and other illicit substances.
Lekki Lab Raid
On Thursday, 6th November 2025, at approximately 6:30 AM, NDLEA operatives detained Yussuf at the Lagos airport. He was immediately taken to his operational base at 17 Vincent Eku Street, Ogombo, Lekki, which had been under surveillance.
During the raid, Yussuf was found in the company of another suspect, Abideen Kekere-Ekun (43). Operatives from the Agency’s Directorate of Forensic and Chemical Monitoring successfully dismantled all laboratory equipment and recovered precursor chemicals and already produced illicit substances, including Colorado, weighing a total of 148.3 kilograms.
