The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested Emeka Mbadiwe, a US-trained Hollywood and Nollywood filmmaker, at his Lekki hotel room for involvement in an illicit drug shipment. The arrest took place on January 1, 2025, following an earlier arrest of his partner, Uzoekwe James, at a warehouse in Ajao Estate.

James was sent by Mbadiwe to collect 33 parcels of cannabis, known as “Loud,” weighing 17.30 kilograms. The drugs had arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on December 24, 2024, from the United States, concealed in large wooden boxes.

In a separate operation in Kwara State, NDLEA arrested Khadijat Abdulraheem, a 24-year-old graduate, and 20-year-old student Ayomide Morakinyo for producing and selling drug-laced cupcakes. NDLEA operatives seized 42 drugged cupcakes from their apartment on December 29.

The agency also made notable arrests in passport racketeering, with ex-convict Sodade Sunday Eniola re-arrested for involvement in smuggling 52 passports concealed in shoe soles and food items. The passports were part of a larger operation that intercepted shipments to countries like Canada and Russia.

Additionally, NDLEA operatives at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex seized over 316,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup on December 31, 2024, as part of ongoing anti-drug efforts.