In a dramatic crackdown that underscores the ingenuity and desperation of drug traffickers, Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a shipment of cocaine ingeniously concealed within 20 religious books intended for Saudi Arabia.
The startling discovery, made on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at a courier company in Lagos, was revealed in a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi. According to the NDLEA, the religious texts—meant to portray piety—were used as a smokescreen to disguise 20 parcels of cocaine weighing a total of 500 grams.
The operation was carried out by the NDLEA’s Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI), during a meticulous inspection of outbound cargo. The revelation has sparked concern about the growing lengths traffickers are willing to go to smuggle hard drugs under the guise of religion and international trade.
In a separate bust on the same day at another courier firm, NDLEA operatives thwarted another attempt to ship five parcels of Loud, a highly potent variant of cannabis. The 2.8-kilogram consignment was cleverly concealed within a carton originating from the United States.
Meanwhile, the agency scored another major win with the arrest of 40-year-old Basorun Usman Kayode, a long-wanted fugitive linked to a 2023 case involving the importation of 107 kilograms of Loud from Canada via the Tincan seaport in Lagos. Kayode had been on the run for two years before his recent apprehension.
Further tightening the noose on drug syndicates, the NDLEA also confirmed the arrest of one Dauda Yakubu on Monday, April 14. Yakubu is a notorious drug distributor operating within the seaport community and was picked up by a specialized team of NDLEA operatives.
The NDLEA has reiterated its unwavering commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks in Nigeria, regardless of how sophisticated or sanctimonious their concealment strategies may be. The agency warned that traffickers hiding behind religious symbols or foreign connections will be unmasked and brought to justice.
“These arrests and seizures reflect the NDLEA’s resolve to stay a step ahead of traffickers who will stop at nothing, including defiling religious texts, to perpetuate their illicit trade,” Babafemi stated.
As the agency continues its war on drugs, this latest operation serves as a potent reminder that no cover—sacred or secular—is beyond scrutiny.
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