•Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has commenced a joint investigation with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the United Kingdom National Crime Agency to uncover those behind the importation of 1,000kg of cocaine intercepted at the PTML Terminal of the Tincan Island Port, Lagos.
This was disclosed in a statement today by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi.
Babafemi said operators at the PTML Terminal discovered the drug-laden consignment in an empty container and alerted port stakeholders, including the NDLEA and the Nigeria Customs Service, for a joint examination.
He added that field tests conducted by NDLEA officers confirmed the substance to be cocaine, after which the shipment was taken into the agency’s custody today, Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
The statement partly read, “The NDLEA is working with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the United Kingdom National Crime Agency to unravel the cartel behind the importation of 1,000kg of cocaine recovered from a container at the PTML Terminal of Tincan Island Port in Lagos.
“The PTML operators had noticed the consignment in an empty container last weekend and invited port stakeholders, including the NDLEA, Customs and other security agencies for a joint examination.
“After a field test by the NDLEA confirmed the shipment to be cocaine, the consignment was formally transferred to NDLEA custody for further investigation on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, following collaborative engagements between the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), and the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi.”
Babafemi said the cocaine, valued at over $235 million (about N338 billion), represents the largest single seizure of the substance at the Tincan Port.
He disclosed that Marwa directed that international partners be involved due to the scale of the seizure and the suspected global network of the cartel behind it.
Officers of the US DEA and UK NCA have since joined the investigation.
“As a result of the large quantity of the recovered Class A drug, which is worth over $235 million (over N338 billion) on the international market, and the global dimension to the cocaine cartel, Marwa on Tuesday, November 11, directed that the agency’s leading international partners be involved in the investigation.
“In a swift response to the agency’s request, officers of the US DEA and UK NCA have already joined the ongoing investigation of the largest single seizure of cocaine at the Tincan Port, Lagos,” the statement added.
On Sunday, the NDLEA released a list of suspects arrested for drug-related offences, including a wanted drug baron, Yussuf Azeez, who was apprehended at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
The 40-year-old suspect was intercepted on Thursday, November 6, 2025, while attempting to board a flight to Saudi Arabia for Umrah.
