The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested Bariu Aliu, a traditional chief priest, also known as ‘Malo’, at the Igunuko shrine in the Alpha Beach area of Ajah, Lekki, Lagos State, for alleged drug trafficking. Aliu has been accused of being the leader of a drug trafficking syndicate linked to the recovery of 2,760 kilograms of skunk at the shrine in October 2024.

Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, said two of Aliu’s accomplices were previously arrested, charged, and convicted. Babafemi stated that Aliu was arrested by NDLEA operatives after over three months of manhunt for him. “Though two of his accomplices were earlier arrested at the shrine last year and had since been charged and convicted in court, Bariu was said to be the leader of the syndicate,” the statement read.

Babafemi also revealed that in another raid in the FCT, two suspects, Anthony Nnamdi, 42, and Abba Ali, 27, were arrested by NDLEA officers at Nyanya, where a combined 1.398kg cocaine and a precursor substance used in preparing crack cocaine were recovered from them. Additionally, 20 wraps of cocaine weighing 330grams were recovered from a cargo going to Australia at a logistics firm in Lagos.

The NDLEA also intercepted 338,200 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth over N1.19 billion in street value, which were concealed in two containers watch-listed by the Agency following processed intelligence. Furthermore, a suspect, Habibu Ya’u, 23, was arrested in Kano with 45 blocks of cannabis weighing 24.2kg and 40,800 pills of opioids, including tramadol.

Babafemi said the NDLEA operatives were able to make these seizures due to their tireless efforts and commitment to tackling drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria.