The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has smashed an international cocaine cartel that relied on juju charms for protection, after operatives intercepted a massive consignment of illicit drugs concealed in lace materials and fetish objects at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The breakthrough came on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, when NDLEA officers at the export shed of the Lagos airport uncovered 76 cartons of textile materials bound for Sydney, Australia. A careful search exposed 16 large blocks of cocaine weighing 17.9 kilograms, hidden in the lace fabrics and padded with local charms, meant to provide spiritual cover against law enforcement.
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, said the charms “failed woefully,” as operatives went on to arrest a freight agent, Olashupo Michael Oladimeji, marking the first major breakthrough against the syndicate. The drug haul was estimated to be worth over 5.3 million Australian dollars (about ₦5.3 billion) on the street.
Syndicate Leaders Unmasked
Swift investigations unmasked the brains behind the cartel. One of them, Muaezee Ademola Ogunbiyi, described as the arrowhead of the Nigerian operations, was tracked to a hotel in Ikeja GRA on September 3 and arrested. A search of his Lekki home yielded 21 parcels of Canadian Loud (10.90kg) and a pump-action shotgun with cartridges.
Another key suspect, Shola Adegoke, was picked up during a raid on a property at 13 Reverend Ogunbiyi Street, Ikeja GRA, which served as a packaging hub for the syndicate. In his Range Rover SUV, operatives found 17 parcels of Loud (9.60kg).
NDLEA disclosed that Adegoke had previously served a jail term in the UK for methamphetamine trafficking before being deported in 2024, while Ogunbiyi had earlier spent 14 years in a UK prison over a murder conviction. Their overseas coordinator, Adebisi Ademola Omoyele (alias Mr. Bee), is said to be hiding in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
More Arrests Across States
The Lagos airport operation was not an isolated success. On September 5, NDLEA arrested Gabriel Michael, a Milan-based Nigerian, at the departure hall while boarding an Air France flight. He was caught with 24,480 pills of tramadol concealed in his luggage.
In Rivers State, a joint NDLEA–Customs operation uncovered 160,200 bottles of codeine syrup hidden in a 40-foot container of ceramic sanitary ware at Onne Port. The consignment had an estimated street value of ₦1.1 billion.
In Abuja, operatives arrested a dispatch rider, Joel Bernard (32), with 3.1kg of Colorado, while in Lagos, Tunde Ayinla (47) and Olawale Omotare (54) were caught with 625kg of Loud and Colorado ready for distribution.
In Kogi State, Musa Isah (45) was caught with 53.4kg of skunk, while in Edo, Yunusa Zakari (23) was arrested over a related seizure of 233kg skunk in Kaduna.
Similar arrests were recorded in Onitsha, Niger, and Taraba States, where NDLEA destroyed 7.5 hectares of cannabis plantations weighing 18,750kg.
Marwa Commends Operatives
NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended the officers for the nationwide breakthroughs, stressing that the use of juju by criminal networks cannot shield them from the law.
“Our operatives have once again shown that no amount of fetish protection or concealment can outsmart intelligence-led operations. The so-called spiritual cover failed woefully, and the cartel is in ruins,” Marwa said.
He urged NDLEA commands across the country to intensify their efforts under the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, combining enforcement with sustained public sensitization.
