News
NDLEA Arrests Key Cocaine Syndicate Member in Lagos, Seizes Drugs Worth N5 Billion
NDLEA arrests Shodunke Yetunde Simbiat, a key member of a Lagos-Ogun cocaine trafficking syndicate, seizing 23.5kg of cocaine worth over N5 billion, as part of ongoing operations across Nigeria
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 39-year-old Shodunke Yetunde Simbiat, a suspected key member and stash keeper of a cocaine trafficking syndicate previously dismantled in Lagos and Ogun states.
Also read: NDLEA Drug Bust MMIA Exposes Major Cocaine, Tramadol Smuggling Ring
The arrest follows a 20-month-long investigation into a cartel led by Bolanle Lookman Dauda and Olayinka Toheebat Dauda, who were apprehended on May 25, 2024, along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway with 42 blocks of cocaine weighing 47.5 kilograms.
A follow-up raid at their Ogun State residence recovered an additional 10 kilograms, bringing the total seizure to 57.5 kilograms.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said Simbiat was tracked to her residence at 31 Onasanya Street, Surulere, Lagos, 2025.
During a search, officers recovered 23.5 kilograms of cocaine concealed in her children’s room, valued at over N5 billion in street value.
Simbiat admitted ownership of the consignment.
In a separate operation at Terminal II of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, NDLEA arrested 36-year-old Nwanwene Robinson Destiny with 1,020 pills of Tramadol 225mg and Tapentadol 200mg, while a 48-year-old Beninese, Leocardi Josu, was apprehended at the Seme border with 3,400 Tramadol tablets.
Additional operations across the country included arrests of Abdullahi Adamu (28.4kg of skunk) along the Okene/Lokoja highway, Ogunlade Kazeem and Adeleke Ismail (185.4kg of skunk) at Ibadan, Charles James (405kg of skunk) in Osun State, and Jamilu Zakari (14,960 pills of Tramadol) on the Abuja–Kaduna highway.
Also read: NDLEA Officer Killed in Ondo Raid, Four Arrested by Police
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers for their diligence and urged continued vigilance during the festive season to curb drug supply and demand across Nigeria.
In a decisive move aimed at alleviating the economic burdens of retired public servants, Zamfara State Governor, Dr Dauda Lawal, has officially approved increased monthly pension payments for all former workers from both state and local government offices. The approval follows an extensive financial review of retirees’ living conditions, with particular attention to those in lower-income brackets who have been disproportionately affected by the prevailing cost-of-living crisis.
The decision was precipitated by the findings and recommendations of a special committee empaneled to evaluate the welfare situation of pensioners across the state. The committee’s report highlighted acute financial distress among aging retirees and called for immediate remedial action. In response, the state government has authorized a substantive upward adjustment in monthly pension stipends.
This increment aligns seamlessly with the Federal Government’s Minimum Wage Act of 2024, which explicitly recommended an additional monthly sum of at least N32,000 for pensioners. Governor Lawal has opted for full implementation of this advisory for all retired state and local government employees a policy intervention expected to benefit thousands of households across Zamfara. The state government has subsequently issued binding directives to all relevant agencies to ensure the expeditious and seamless disbursement of the enhanced payments without procedural delays.
Speaking on the development, the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mahmud Muhammad Dantawasa, characterized the policy as a tangible demonstration of Governor Lawal’s unwavering commitment to improving the quality of life for both active and former government workers. According to the Commissioner, the administration operates on the principle that dignified retirement includes access to basic necessities and financial comfort. Beneficiaries across all local government areas have been assured of prompt payment once implementation commences.
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