NDLEA Intercepts N134.2 Billion Drugs at Tincan Island Port in 2024
•Honours THISDAY editor for tenacity, dedication to anti-drug abuse public enlightenment
Aurthor Ariye
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday disclosed that the Tincan Island Port Strategic Command intercepted narcotic drugs worth N134.2 billion in 2024.
This was disclosed by the Commander of Narcotics, Mr. Ofoyeju Mitchell, during the command’s 2024 media briefing and awards ceremony held at the Tincan Island Port, Lagos.
The operational results, he said, have helped to insulate the economy from the adverse effects of criminal proceeds and promote public health and safety.
“The year 2024 presented us with many challenges, but through teamwork, strategic planning, and intelligence-led operations, we have achieved remarkable milestones by disrupting the illicit drug trade, promoting community engagement, and deepening collaboration with stakeholders,” Mitchell stated.
He noted that 38 drug suspects, including one female were apprehended during the period under review and a whopping seizure of 339,576.91 kilograms of illicit drugs were made.
The commander listed the breakdown as follows: codeine 305,323.37 kg; tapentadol 13,370 kg; tafradol 11,230.8 kg; benzhexol 5,888.8 kg; cannabis indica 3,601.25 kg; methamphetamine 83.301 kg; cocaine 56.39 kg; and heroin 23 kg.
He also revealed that a total of 12 convictions were secured while no fewer than 26 cases are pending at the law courts.
“Drugs and crime are intertwined. It is either the cartels are using proceeds of drugs to fund their acts of criminality or they rely on the influence of drugs to perpetrate heinous activities. This obviously underscores the crucial role of the NDLEA at the seaports in disrupting drug supply chains and mitigating the impact of criminal acts in our communities.
“In January last year, we detected narcotic drugs, firearms, and ammunition in one container. The command will remain vigilant in protecting our country from the painful grip of kidnapping, gruesome murder, and related crimes that are aggravated by drugs.
“As frontline gatekeepers, we understand that these seizures and arrests have significantly contributed to the relative peace enjoyed by citizens across the length and breadth of our beloved country. It has equally enhanced a conducive environment for the ease of doing business in the maritime industry.
“Our mandate is to encourage legitimate commerce and eliminate any act of criminality that is injurious to economic growth. This is our modest contribution to national security, and we will leave no stone unturned until Tincan Island port is completely impenetrable by the drug trafficking cartels,” Mitchell stated.
According to him, “In addition to enforcement measures, the NDLEA also focused on public education through the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign. This involves community awareness programs to educate the public about the dangers of drug trafficking and abuse.”
Mitchell also disclosed that the impressive scorecard was made possible through our shared commitment to promoting zero tolerance for drug trafficking, local and international collaboration, intelligence sharing, and efficient deployment of our sniffer dogs with unprecedented capabilities to detect concealed drugs.
At the event, deserving outstanding officers were recognised with special awards for their excellence and commitment to service.
Commander Mitchell presented the award which ranged from Most Productive Officer-in-Charge to Best WADA Media Partner of the Year.
He noted that the awards are designed to encourage best practices, enhance operational efficiency, and foster a culture of accountability and transparency among officers.
“Similarly, we have rules of engagement that address actions against discipline.
The list of awards and the recipients include the Most Productive Officer-in-Charge of the Year won by ACN Adefunke Akindele, Most Enterprising Officer of the Year won by ACN Muje Stephen, WADA Facilitator of the Year won by ACN Salihu Isa Machi, and Most Dedicated Officer of the Year won by CSN Audu Samuel, while the Best Dressed Officer of the Year went to SNA Mohammed Musa.
He also presented the Best WADA Media Partner of the Year to Mr. Davidson Iriekpen of THISDAY Newspapers for his tenacity and dedication to anti-drug abuse public enlightenment.
The event also marked the launch of the inaugural edition of the Tincan Strategic Command quarterly newsletter. This publication aims to inform stakeholders of the command’s operations, community engagement activities, and significant achievements while promoting greater collaboration in the fight against drug abuse.
“The dynamic drug trafficking trends have kept us on our toes. Apart from cannabis indica that is imported from Canada and the United States, pharmaceutical opioids from India, cocaine is imported from South America, and heroin comes from the far east, like Pakistan and Iran. Within the period under review, we discovered the first shipment of methamphetamine from Canada. We will continue to monitor the trend and thwart every criminal manipulation,” he assured.
Commander Mitchell expressed heartfelt appreciation for the enabling environment provided by Gen. Buba Marwa to tackle the challenge of drug trafficking at the seaport.
He acknowledged the hardwork and dedication of NDLEA personnel, as well as other stakeholders in the anti-narcotic campaign.
He noted that 2025 would be better than the previous year as efforts would be geared towards promoting professionalism, capacity building, stakeholder/community engagement, intelligence sharing, and exchange programmes, among others.
The Lagos State Government on Thursday issued a 48-hour ultimatum to traders operating under Apogbon Bridge and traders operating on the drainage setbacks on Lagos Island to vacate preparatory to the commencement of urban regeneration of Lagos Island.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, issued the notice while addressing the media after an inspection tour to Savage/Elegbata Bombata Drainage channel around Olowogbowo/Apongbon axis in Lagos Island, saying that negative human activities in the axis massively contribute to flooding and posed serious threat to lives and properties.
He explained the tour became necessary because it was observed that the setback of these two critical drainage collectors which are Bombata/Olusi and the Alagbafo collector have been converted into shops/stalls, adding that these channels were initially not captured in the Lagos Island regeneration process and this can hamper the success of the regeneration.
“I have instructed that the shop/stall owners be served abatement notice; We are going to clear these infractions and keep the maintenance work going while ensuring that the contract is revisited to accommodate these two collectors” he said.
Wahab who observed during the inspection that traders selling livestock have also converted under Apongbon bridge to a ranch and livestock market, thereafter ordered an immediate relocation of the livestock traders to designated markets saying they are contributors to blockage to the two collectors in the area.
According to him, “What we saw is not something that we are happy about. People have fully built on setback and drainage channels and when you build structures on this infrastructure, how do you expect this infrastructure to be maintained.
“We have abused this infrastructure and I have given directives to the appropriate department to serve notice of abatement and if compliance is not carried out enforcement will commence.”
He said the government cannot fold its hands and allow any one turn Lagos State to an Hobbesian state where life becomes Nasty, Brutish and Short, saying that infrastructure are built for public use but some people turned them to their shops and the state government will stop the bad behaviors right away.
He said all concerned stall owners would be served contravention/abatement notices while the ministry officials would come back to monitor the level of compliance after 48 hours.
The commissioner warned developers and residents that dump building materials on the roads and drainage channels causing serious blockage to natural flow of water to desist from such acts while ordering the immediate sealing of 2 buildings under construction – one on Alakoro Martins Street (No 109) and another one in Ebute Ero Market for dumping of building materials on the drainage channels.
According to him, “the building were sealed because they stacked their building materials on the drainage system and this is illegal because they block the drainage system in the process; Such offenders will be required to remove the materials and clean the drainage system before they are unsealed”
The commissioner used the opportunity to inform market operators that they must ensure that shop owners maintain designated market spaces as allocated by the local governments, adding that the local governments and the state government will always work in synergy.
“We work with the local governments although there are little gaps that need to be ironed out; the market are extensively under the local government adding that this does not give them the right to infringe on environmental laws of the state that provides for a setback between a collector and a building and this is what we are going to enforce”
The commissioner emphasised that the government will not rest on it oars but would continue to ramp up the enforcement and advocacy and enlightenment, emphasizing that the protection of the environment is a collective effort between government and the people.
“We will continue in our advocacy and enforcement but some people are just recalcitrant and for these set of people, they believe government will never come but whenever we notice infractions, we will remove them; we are always very slow to wield the big stick but we would emphasize on advocacy and enlightenment,” he stressed.
He mentioned that the enforcement of ban on Styrofoam is still an ongoing process across the state adding that the enforcement team had recorded 92% compliance in regard to styrofoam ban and the government would continue to ramp up enforcement before the commencement of the next phase which is the ban of single use plastic.
In response to a resolution by the State House of Assembly regarding stealing of manholes, the commissioner noted the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources and Ministry of Works and Infrastructure are working together to address the issue adding and working on how to put an end to this nefarious activity.
The Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, advised traders to always operate in designated market spaces and avoid defacing the environment by trading on drainage channels, road medians, kerbs, highways amongst others.
He implored residents to always take ownership of all infrastructure and the environment by preventing indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the drainage channels/roads, trading on the roads amongst others, stressing that it is the responsibility of all residents to maintain the environment to ensure its sustainability.
The commissioner was accompanied by Special Adviser on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu; Permanent Secretaries, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Gaji Omobolaji and Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite; MD LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin; GM LASWAMO, Engr. Femi Afolabi; Executive director Operations, Lagos Water Corporation, Engr Lanke Taiwo, Executive director LAWMA, Mr. Kunle Adebiyi and other directors in the ministry.
Places visited include, Savage/Elegbata Drainage channel which cut across Cole Street, Savage Lane, George Street, Abu Lane, Apongbon underbridge and Olowogbowo areaa; Ebute Ero /Okearin/Alakoro Martins drains collector.
