The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a Saudi Arabia-bound consignment of cannabis concealed in a gallon of palm oil at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano State, leading to the arrest of two suspects.
The seizure was part of a series of anti-drug operations across the country in which the agency recovered large quantities of illicit substances and arrested dozens of suspects.
In a statement issued on Sunday, October 18, 2026, the NDLEA said its operatives intercepted the consignment on Friday, October 16, during the outward clearance of a female passenger travelling to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight via Addis Ababa.
The passenger, identified as Fatimah Ahmad, was found with parcels of cannabis weighing 511.75 grammes concealed inside a gallon of palm oil.
According to the agency, Ahmad told investigators that the gallon had been given to her by her cousin, Abubakar Yahaya.
Yahaya was subsequently arrested at the airport car park following the discovery. The NDLEA did not disclose whether the suspects had made previous attempts to traffic illicit drugs or provide further details about the investigation.
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The interception highlights the methods allegedly employed by drug traffickers to conceal prohibited substances in everyday household products in an attempt to evade security checks at airports.
The agency has continued to intensify surveillance and enforcement operations at Nigeria’s international airports, seaports and other entry points to disrupt drug trafficking networks and prevent illicit substances from being transported across borders.
The Kano interception was among several operations highlighted in the NDLEA’s latest nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking.
In a separate operation at the Apapa Port in Lagos, the agency uncovered 8,725 kilogrammes of powdered tramadol, valued at more than ₦6.98 billion, concealed in a shipment declared as maize starch.
The NDLEA also reported the seizure of 55 kilogrammes of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, valued at ₦165 million, at the Tincan Island Port in Lagos.
The agency said its nationwide operations extended to Lagos, Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Kano and Kaduna states, resulting in the seizure of large quantities of cannabis and opioid substances and the arrest of dozens of suspects.
The NDLEA reiterated its commitment to combating drug trafficking and strengthening efforts to prevent the movement of illicit substances through Nigeria’s transportation networks.
As of the time of the statement, the agency had not provided further details on the prosecution of the two suspects arrested in connection with the cannabis consignment at Kano airport.
