By Stephen Simon
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Edo State Command, arrested 42 suspected drug traffickers and seized 9,520kg of illicit substances in September 2026.
The command also declared a suspected drug trafficker, Gospel Mudiaga Odeh, aka Omega, wanted after he reportedly escaped arrest during an operation. His Toyota Matrix car and other exhibits recovered from the vehicle were subsequently confiscated.
The State Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed this in the command’s monthly operational scorecard, which highlighted its activities in drug enforcement, rehabilitation and substance abuse education. Ofoyeju said the arrests followed intelligence-led operations carried out in line with directives from the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.)
He said, “Out of the 42 suspects arrested, 22 are females, while 20 are males. One suspected notorious drug trafficker, Gospel Mudiaga Odeh, aka Omega, who narrowly escaped arrest, had been declared wanted. His salesgirl, Ojugo Mercy, 26 years old, was nabbed with assorted drugs: Loud 989 grams, Colorado 13 grams and methamphetamine 83 grams.
“Mudiaga reportedly fled, leaving behind his black Toyota Matrix car. Exhibits recovered from the car include 65 grams of cannabis and N1.16 million, as well as 55 Ethiopian birr, which had been documented as an instrument of crime.
“Mudiaga can run, but he certainly has no hiding place because the command has been mandated by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer to find and prosecute him accordingly.”
Ofoyeju also expressed concern over the increasing involvement of women in illicit drug trafficking in the state.
Edo seeks investors, technology to modernise livestock production According to him, the command seized 9,520kg of illicit substances during the month, comprising 9,248.2575kg of cannabis plantations destroyed and 271.92348kg of other illicit drugs intercepted.
He said the other substances recovered included 245.29kg of Cannabis Sativa, 25.97kg of psychotropic substances,
0.66kg of methamphetamine and 62.6 litres of codeine syrup. Ofoyeju said operatives identified and destroyed 10 cannabis farms covering 3.699303 hectares, with an estimated yield of 9,248.2575kg.
Beyond enforcement, he said the command secured three convictions and had 83 cases pending before various courts.
He added that the command had also provided counselling for 28 clients and offered vocational training in areas including tailoring, embroidery and liquid soap production as part of efforts to support their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
Ofoyeju said the command remained committed to tackling drug trafficking and abuse in Edo State, while calling
for greater support from stakeholders to address the problem.
Recall that on Sunday, the operatives of the NDLEA intercepted container consignments of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis and codeine-based syrup worth over N5 billion.
The agency noted that the operatives at the Apapa, Tin Can Island and Onne seaports made the arrest, following months of intelligence and tracking the movement of the shipments from their original ports of origin.
