The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its war against illicit drugs, arresting 46 suspected traffickers and seizing 39,983.294 kilogrammes of narcotics in a series of coordinated raids across the state in July 2025.
State Commander of Narcotics, Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed this in Benin City while presenting the command’s monthly scorecard, noting that the operations targeted notorious drug flashpoints including Ihama Road in GRA, Benin City, as well as several rural cannabis farms.
According to Ofoyeju, the operations were intelligence-led and resulted in the dislodgement of several trafficking hubs. “We apprehended 38 males and 8 females. Seven cannabis farms, measuring a total of 15.85 hectares in Oke Forest, Uhunmwonde, and Ewere Forest, Uzebba, Owan West Local Government Areas, were destroyed. We took cannabis, psychotropic substances, methamphetamine, cocaine, and codeine syrup out of illicit circulation,” he said.
The haul comprised 39,977.644kg of cannabis, 5.5753kg of psychotropic substances, 0.26g of methamphetamine, 0.0598g of cocaine, and 5.8 litres of codeine syrup.
Among the high-profile arrests was 49-year-old alleged drug baron, Alaba Monday, from Owan West, wanted since 2023, who was caught in a cannabis farm with 115kg of processed cannabis. Other notable arrests include: Yusuf Isuku, 40, from Etsako West, with 10.265kg of skunk concealed in bags of garri, Josiah Friday, 48, from Akoko Edo, with 36kg of cannabis hidden in black polythene, Izunna Nwankwo, 26, from Ebonyi State, caught with 15,400 tramadol capsules, 200 swinol tablets, 357 molly tablets, and 54 bottles of codeine syrup along Benin-Auchi Road.
Along Ihama Road, GRA Benin City, arrests included: Emmanuel Onaji, 29, from Benue State, with molly, Joshua Paul, 21, from Edo State, with Loud, Prosper Titus, 20, from Benue State, with Loud, Andy Obioma, 28, from Rivers State, Agu Emmanue, 23, from Kaduna State, with Loud.
Beyond enforcement, the command carried out extensive community outreach, providing brief intervention counselling to 32 individuals with drug use problems and rehabilitating 11 others. Public sensitisation programmes reached over 8,000 people in July alone.
Ofoyeju reaffirmed NDLEA’s commitment to dismantling drug cartels and prosecuting offenders, warning that the agency would not relent in safeguarding the state from the scourge of narcotics.
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