The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has apprehended Yussuf Abayomi Azeez, a 40-year-old UK-fugitive wanted for drug offences, at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos. Azeez, who was travelling to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, had been under surveillance for months due to his involvement in international drug trafficking.
The arrest follows Azeez’s flight from the United Kingdom after jumping bail. NDLEA officers immediately raided his Lekki hideout, where he was found alongside 43-year-old Abideen Kekere-Ekun. Authorities dismantled a clandestine laboratory and recovered 148.3 kilograms of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis, along with precursor chemicals and other illicit substances.
Coordinated operations across Nigeria
NDLEA’s operations extended beyond Lagos. In Bayelsa State, officers arrested 70-year-old Comfort Odudu with 5 kilograms of skunk. Across Taraba, Niger, Kogi, Kaduna, and Lagos, simultaneous raids led to seizures of various drugs including Molly, methamphetamine, tramadol, and Loud cannabis.
In Lagos, 105.5 kilograms of Molly and 500 grams of methamphetamine were intercepted at the Sifax bonded terminal. In Niger State, 87,000 tramadol pills and 72 kilograms of skunk were seized from a truck en route to Cameroon. Other large consignments of opioids, tramadol, and cannabis were intercepted in Kogi, Taraba, and Abuja, highlighting a nationwide crackdown on trafficking networks.
Economic and social implications
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa commended the officers for their successful operations. Experts note that drug trafficking imposes significant costs on society, from law enforcement spending to healthcare burdens linked to substance abuse.
Reducing the flow of illicit drugs may ease social pressures and economic strain on communities, particularly in urban centres where addiction and crime can increase household expenses and reduce productivity.
