Operatives of the Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted 7,245 kilograms of skunk cannabis, estimated at N724.5 million, hidden in cartons of beer in the state.
Mitchell Ofoyeju, the Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, disclosed this to newsmen on Monday, April 13, 2026, at a press briefing in Benin City.
Ofoyeju said five suspects were arrested in connection with the illicit drugs.
He said the drugs were intercepted in two articulated trucks on Saturday, April 11, 2026, by a crack team of the agency while acting on actionable intelligence along the critical Auchi-Abuja Road axis.
He gave the names of the suspects, who he said are all indigenes of Etsako East and Etsako West local government areas of the state, as Ibrahim Abu (29), Abu Abdullazeez (28), Jibril Jaminu (35), Andrew Moses (22), and Ganiyu Abu (21).
The Edo State NDLEA boss added that this was the first time in the history of the command that two trucks laden with illicit drugs were intercepted at the same time.
While describing the seizure as a monumental operational success and the culmination of seventy-two hours of meticulous intelligence gathering and surveillance by officers of the command, he opined that it disrupted the interstate drug trafficking network.
Ofoyeju, who hailed the operation as a validation of the command’s unwavering commitment and operational precision, posited that the successful interception is a clear message to drug barons and traffickers that Edo State is not a haven for criminal trade.
According to him, the large volume of the seizure, which is over seven metric tonnes of cannabis, highlights the scale of the threat being combated. He added that it also underscores the effectiveness of intelligence-driven operations and the dedication of officers.
“The operation aligns with the strategic mandate and zero-tolerance directive set forth by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Under the resolute leadership of the Chairman, our mandate is unequivocal.
“We are to dismantle drug trafficking networks, apprehend the traffickers, seize their drugs, and trace assets illicitly acquired. This seizure prevents these drugs from reaching our streets and destroying countless lives, particularly our youth.
“Upon search, the trucks, ostensibly carrying cartons of beer, were found to be cleverly concealing hundreds of bags of processed weeds. A field test confirmed the substance to be skunk cannabis, a highly potent and dangerous variant,” he said.
Ofoyeju gave the detailed particulars of the articulated trucks as LUY 172 XC, Oyo, and LUY 281 XC, Oyo, respectively.
He said the trucks contained 260 bags weighing 3,900 kilograms and 223 bags weighing 483 kilograms, with a combined gross weight of 7,245kg.
He also added that preliminary investigations indicated that the illicit shipment originated from Sabongida-Ora in Owan West Local Government Area and was destined for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, before the interception.
Ofoyeju stated that the colossal damage it would have caused to the FCT and the entire North Central region, but for the intervention, is better left unimagined.
He disclosed that the trucks and exhibits have been moved to the command headquarters in Benin City for further documentation and investigation.
He said the investigation has commenced in earnest, while both trucks will be confiscated as instrumentalities of drug crime.
The commander, however, assured the public that a thorough investigation is ongoing to uncover the networks behind the large-scale trafficking and bring all parties involved to justice.
He also called for continued support from citizens, urging them to provide timely information to aid the agency’s work in safeguarding
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