By Oluchi Omai
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a suspected major supplier of illicit drugs linked to banditry in Niger State, following an intelligence-led manhunt that lasted several weeks.
The arrest, confirmed on Sunday, relates to 33-year-old Mohammed Sani, also known locally as Gamboli. He was taken into custody on 11 December 2025 at a hideout in Anguwan Fadama, Kuta, after evading capture during an earlier raid on his residence in Anguwan Makera, also in Shiroro Local Government Area. Officials say the operation forms part of broader efforts to disrupt the supply of illegal drugs to armed criminal groups in the region. NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi described the suspect as a significant conduit for psychoactive substances to bandits operating in the area. During an initial raid on 20 November, officers recovered 471.8 kilograms of skunk, a high-potency form of cannabis at Sani’s residence, but he managed to escape at that time. The subsequent intelligence-driven follow-up ultimately led to his arrest at a known drug joint.
The agency’s statement highlighted that the arrest was made possible through “processed intelligence”, demonstrating the growing role of targeted surveillance and information sharing in counter-narcotics work. Babafemi added that investigations are ongoing, with efforts focused on dismantling the networks that link drug suppliers to violent criminal elements.
In simultaneous operations across the country, NDLEA teams have also made significant seizures of illicit substances. In Abia State, officers uncovered a clandestine codeine syrup factory in Umuakpara village, Osisioma Local Government Area, where 9,015 bottles weighing 1,152.2 kilograms were confiscated. Similar enforcement actions in Enugu State resulted in the arrest of suspects found with substantial quantities of cannabis.
The agency’s activities reflect an increasingly assertive stance against both drug trafficking and its associated criminality. Along major transport routes and in urban centres, officers have intercepted consignments of psychoactive pills concealed in everyday goods and have dismantled illegal distribution points.
The NDLEA has emphasised that these enforcement efforts are part of a broader national strategy to curb drug supply chains that fuel crime and social harm, particularly in areas afflicted by banditry and other forms of organised violence.
“This arrest is a major breakthrough in our sustained effort to cut off the supply of illicit drugs to bandits and other criminal groups,” the NDLEA said in a statement. “By disrupting these supply chains, we are not only tackling drug trafficking but also weakening the operational capacity of violent networks that threaten public safety.”
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