The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has lauded the interim forfeiture order granted by the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, on 17 containers of illicit opioids seized at Onne port.
The contents of the containers are put at about N33.6 billion combined street value.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by NDLEA spokesperson Femi abd released on Babafemi on Tuesday.
It was stated that the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt granted the order following an ex parte application filed by the agency in suit number FHC/PH/MISC/25/2026.
Babafemi said the containers, intercepted at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State, between April and September 2025, were found to contain millions of pills of Tramadol, Tafrodol, Tapentadol, Carisoprodol, and over 2.4 million bottles of Codeine Syrup.
Ruling on the application, Justice Adamu Mohammed ordered the interim forfeiture of the consignments.
The judge held that, “An order is hereby made forfeiting in the interim to the Federal Government of Nigeria seventeen shipping containers containing a total of three hundred and sixty-five thousand, six hundred and seventy-five kilograms of various types of psychotropic substances illegally imported into Nigeria through the Onne Sea Port, Onne, Eleme, Rivers State by unknown persons.”
He further ordered that, “Custody and possession of the said containers and their respective contents are hereby vested in the Applicant pending the final determination of this suit.”
Babafemi said that the Chairman of the agency, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, while reacting to the court’s order, described the forfeiture as a death knell for the financial nerves of the criminal syndicates involved.
According to Marwa, this is not just a seizure; it is a total dispossession of the resources the drug cartels intended to use in destroying the lives of our youths and funding further criminality.
“By stripping the criminal syndicates of assets worth over N33.6billion, we have struck at the heart of their operations.
“This sends a clear message that the Nigerian state will not allow the proceeds of death to circulate to fund terrorism and other forms of criminality in our country.”
The NDLEA chairman commended the Nigerian Judiciary for its steadfast support and timely intervention in granting the interim forfeiture.
He noted that the partnership between the temple of justice and the agency was critical to winning the war against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
He also commended the officers, men and women of NDLEA, particularly those attached to the Onne port command, for their vigilance, professional integrity, and eagle-eyed scrutiny that led to the discovery of the concealed drugs.
He further acknowledged the vital role played by sister security agencies including the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other port stakeholders whose cooperation ensured a seamless interdiction process.
He further commended international partners for their continued intelligence sharing and technical support which he said remained a cornerstone of the agency’s success.
According to him, the agency remains resolute in its mission to dismantle drug networks across the country.
