The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 42 suspected drug traffickers and destroyed 10 cannabis farms covering 3.69 hectares in Edo State.
The Edo State Commander of the agency, Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed this while presenting the command’s operational report for September 2026.
According to him, the suspects comprised 20 males and 22 females, a development he said highlighted the increasing involvement of women in illegal drug trafficking.
Ofoyeju said the agency seized 271.92 kilogrammes of illicit drugs during the period. The substances included 245.29 kilogrammes of cannabis, 25.97 kilogrammes of psychotropic substances and 0.66 kilogramme of methamphetamine. The command also seized 62.6 litres of codeine syrup.
He attributed the achievements to intelligence-led operations carried out under the leadership of the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Buba Marwa.
The commander also disclosed the arrest of a suspected drug trafficker, Gospel Mudiaga Odeh, popularly known as Omega, alongside his 26-year-old salesgirl, Ojugo Mercy.
According to Ofoyeju, Odeh reportedly escaped arrest and was subsequently declared wanted by the agency. He allegedly left behind a black Toyota Matrix.
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A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 65 grammes of cannabis, N1.16 million and 55 Ethiopian birr, which were documented as exhibits.
Other substances recovered in connection with the operation included 989 grammes of Loud, 13 grammes of Colorado and 83 grammes of methamphetamine.
The NDLEA commander said the vehicle, drugs and money recovered had been confiscated as exhibits.
On cannabis cultivation, Ofoyeju said the command destroyed 10 farms across different locations in Edo State, with a combined estimated yield of 9,248.26 kilogrammes of cannabis.
The affected farms were located in Monday Camp, Ovia South-West; Igwe-Oke Community Forest, Owan East; Okagboro Forest and Ukporwoya Forest in Owan West; and Eko Camp in Illushi, Esan South-East Local Government Area.
He said the operations formed part of the command’s efforts to reduce the supply of illicit drugs and strengthen rehabilitation and substance abuse prevention through intelligence-driven enforcement.
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