By Gbenga Jimoh
LAGOS, Nigeria – In a shocking attempt to exploit religious sanctity for criminal gain, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a shipment of cocaine ingeniously concealed within 20 sets of religious books destined for Saudi Arabia.
The agency revealed on Sunday that the illicit cargo, containing 20 parcels of cocaine weighing a total of 500 grams, was discovered during a routine search of outbound shipments by vigilant NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at a courier company in Lagos.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi stated, “The drugs were carefully hidden within the pages of religious books at a courier company in Lagos.” Officers from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) uncovered the sophisticated concealment while screening export packages en route to Saudi Arabia.
Babafemi highlighted the deceptive nature of the method, noting that the books appeared outwardly as innocent religious texts.
In a separate operation on the same day at another courier company, NDLEA officers also intercepted five parcels of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis weighing 2.8 kilograms, concealed within a carton originating from the United States.
These seizures underscore the NDLEA’s ongoing and intensified efforts to thwart drug trafficking and prevent criminal elements from utilizing courier services for their illicit cross-border activities. The agency confirmed that investigations into both consignments are currently underway.
Further successes in the NDLEA’s fight against drug trafficking include the arrest in Kano of a 22-year-old supplier of illicit substances to bandits, Muhammad Mohammed, who was caught with 277 ampoules of pentazocine injection strapped to his body. In the same state, 43-year-old Mohammed Abdulrahman Abdulaziz was apprehended with 30kg of skunk.
The agency also reported significant drug recoveries and arrests in other parts of the country. In Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, a staggering 557.2kg of skunk, 5.6kg of methamphetamine, and 29.8grams of heroin were seized from a residence, leading to the arrest of four suspects. In Lagos, 1,100 kilograms of skunk were intercepted in a delivery van, resulting in the driver’s arrest. Additionally, in Kaduna, a raid on a suspect’s hideout yielded over 31,000 pills of tramadol and diazepam.
These operations highlight the NDLEA’s relentless commitment to combating drug trafficking across Nigeria, even as its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign continues to educate communities nationwide.
