NDLEA detains 22 Indian sailors and seizes drugs at Lagos port
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has detained 22 Indian crew members of the MV Aruna Hulya after seizing cocaine at Apapa Port, Lagos. According to Femi Babafemi, the agency also uncovered various drugs hidden in coffee sachets and book parcels destined for Zambia and the UK. Several arrests and drug seizures were made in Lagos, Oyo, Borno, Jigawa, and Kwara States. The agency continues its crackdown on drug trafficking with multiple ongoing investigations and court cases.
What happened
- NDLEA detained 22 Indian crew members, including the vessel master Sharma Shashi Bhushan, after seizing 31.5kg of cocaine at the GDNL terminal, Apapa Port, Lagos, on Friday, 2nd January 2026.
- Additional drugs, including ketamine, ecstasy, and tramadol, were found hidden in coffee mix sachets and book parcels at a Lagos courier company on 24th and 29th December 2025.
- A wanted drug kingpin, Fatima Ilori (Mama Kerosine), was arrested in Ibadan on Monday, 29th December 2025, along with another suspect, following the seizure of 238.4kg of skunk.
- In Borno State, two suspects were arrested and large consignments of Tramadol seized on Friday, 2nd January 2026.
- Other major seizures and arrests occurred in Lagos on Thursday, 1st January, Jigawa on Tuesday, 30th December 2025, Kwara on Tuesday, 30th December, and Bode Saadu on Wednesday, 31st December 2025.
- Ongoing litigation involves 21 foreign nationals, with the Federal High Court in Lagos extending the detention of MV San Antonio and its crew for 14 days over cocaine smuggling allegations; the vessel was arrested by Nigeria Customs on 6th December 2025.
