The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its nationwide crackdown on illicit drugs, destroying more than 20 tonnes of cannabis at a large farm in Osun State and arresting a suspected drug trafficker who had allegedly evaded authorities for about six years.
According to the agency, operatives destroyed 20,234 kilogrammes of cannabis, commonly referred to as skunk, discovered on an 8.0936-hectare farm in Area 4 of Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State.
The operation was conducted on September 30, 2026, as part of the agency’s continuing efforts to disrupt the cultivation and distribution of cannabis across the country.
Large Cannabis Farm Destroyed in Osun
The destruction of the farm represents one of the latest major interventions by the NDLEA against large-scale cannabis cultivation.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the operation in a statement, explaining that officers targeted the extensive plantation in Ife South.
The seizure and destruction of the cannabis crop is significant because large plantations can provide substantial supplies for illegal drug markets if they are allowed to mature and enter circulation.
Rather than allowing the harvested crop to reach consumers, NDLEA operatives destroyed the plants during the operation, effectively removing the sizeable quantity from the illicit drug supply chain.
Six-Year Search Ends in Plateau
The NDLEA also announced the arrest of 47-year-old Idris Mohammed Kurra, a suspect who had allegedly remained at large since December 2020.
Kurra was arrested on September 29 in Plateau State after authorities traced him to the West of Mines area of Jos North.
He had reportedly been facing trial before the Federal High Court in Jos over allegations involving the possession and trafficking of 198kg of cannabis.
According to the agency, the suspect had previously been granted bail but subsequently failed to return to court. His latest arrest brings an end to the period during which he was allegedly evading prosecution.
The development underscores the agency’s continued efforts to track down suspects connected to drug cases even when proceedings have been delayed by their disappearance.
More Cannabis Seized in Plateau
The Plateau operation also resulted in another cannabis seizure.
NDLEA officers arrested 41-year-old Agbo Dennis after recovering 33 bags of skunk weighing approximately 385kg in the West of Mines area of Jos North.
The arrest formed part of the series of enforcement actions carried out by the agency across different states in recent days.
Tramadol Seized in Lagos
The latest NDLEA operations extended beyond cannabis.
In Lagos, operatives reportedly raided an unoccupied compound at Divine Estate in the Ago Palace area on September 28.
The search led to the recovery of 209,000 tablets of tramadol, another controlled substance that has been the subject of repeated enforcement operations by Nigerian authorities.
The agency subsequently carried out a follow-up investigation that resulted in the arrest of a 23-year-old suspect at Ladipo Spare Parts Market.
Officials said the arrest followed the earlier recovery of 61 grammes of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis strain.
Drug Operations Spread Across Several States
The latest enforcement activities were not limited to Osun, Plateau and Lagos.
The NDLEA also reported operations involving suspected drug trafficking activities in states including Kogi and Edo.
In Kogi, officers intercepted a Lagos-Abuja passenger bus along the Okene-Lokoja highway and recovered a consignment containing methamphetamine. A subsequent investigation reportedly led officers to an alleged owner of the package in Abuja.
In Edo State, officers recovered more than 32kg of cannabis during a raid in Ovia North-East Local Government Area. Another suspect was arrested in Benin City with several suspected illicit substances, according to the agency’s account.
The series of operations highlights the wide geographical spread of the NDLEA’s current enforcement campaign, covering cultivation sites, transport routes, storage locations and suspected distribution networks.
NDLEA Steps Up Fight Against Drug Trafficking
The agency’s latest actions come as Nigerian authorities continue efforts to tackle the cultivation, transportation and sale of illicit substances.
Large cannabis plantations remain a particular concern because they can supply substantial quantities of drugs to markets within Nigeria and potentially beyond the country’s borders.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations and encouraged them to maintain pressure on individuals and networks involved in the illegal drug trade.
The agency has also maintained that enforcement should be accompanied by drug-prevention campaigns, public education and awareness programmes.
With the destruction of the Osun plantation and the arrest of a long-sought suspect in Plateau, the NDLEA has once again demonstrated its focus on both drug production and the people suspected of facilitating the wider supply chain.
The agency’s challenge, however, remains the ability to sustain such operations while preventing traffickers and cultivators from relocating their activities to new areas.
For now, the removal of more than 20 tonnes of cannabis from the Osun farm represents a major disruption to illicit drug cultivation in the state, while the arrest of the alleged six-year fugitive adds another development to the agency’s ongoing nationwide enforcement campaign.
