The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has obtained an interim forfeiture order for 17 containers loaded with illicit opioids from a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt.
Gatekeepers News reports that the consignment, valued at over N33.6 billion (£16.1 million), was intercepted at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State, during a series of operations carried out between April and September 2025.
According to the agency, the seized substances include 19.6 million pills of Tramadol, Tafrodol, Tapentadol, and Carisoprodol, as well as nearly 2.5 million bottles of codeine syrup, with a combined weight of 365,657 kilograms.
In a statement, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed that the order was granted by Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed following an ex parte motion filed by the agency.
Delivering the ruling, the judge said: “An order is hereby made forfeiting in the interim to the Federal Government of Nigeria seventeen shipping containers containing various types of psychotropic substances illegally imported into Nigeria through the Onne Sea Port by unknown persons.”
Justice Mohammed further directed the NDLEA to retain custody of the containers and their contents pending the final determination of the case.
Reacting in Abuja on Tuesday, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Mohamed Marwa, described the development as a major blow to international drug syndicates and a significant legal victory in the agency’s anti-narcotics campaign.
“This is not just a seizure, it is a total dispossession of the resources the drug cartels intended to use in destroying the lives of our youths and funding further criminality,” he said.
“By stripping the criminal syndicates of assets worth over N33.6 billion, we have struck at the heart of their operations.”
Marwa added that the forfeiture sends a strong signal that Nigeria will not allow proceeds from illicit drugs to finance terrorism or organised crime.
He also commended the judiciary for its support, noting that collaboration between the courts and law enforcement remains vital in tackling substance abuse. The NDLEA boss further praised officers at the Onne Port Command for their “eagle-eyed scrutiny,” while acknowledging the role of the Nigeria Customs Service and international partners in the operation.
The agency confirmed that the containers were imported by yet-to-be-identified individuals.
