4.1.2026
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 22 Indian crew members of a merchant vessel, MV Aruna Hulya, in which 31.5 kilograms of cocaine were seized by operatives at the GDNL terminal, Apapa Port, Lagos State, .
NDLEA director media and advocacy Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
Babafemi said those detained in connection with the discovery of the 31.5kg cocaine in hatch 3 of the ship, which originated from the Marshall Islands, include the Master of the Vessel, Sharma Shashi Bhushan, and 21 other crew members.
Their names are: Bharati Manoj Kumar; Bhalerao Nilesh Mukund; Nadar Anthony Macson David; Kolusu Srinivasa Rao; Sagar Gaurav; Francis Anto Beemas Nester; Jagdeep Singh; Jai Parkash; Prabhukhan Singh; Nevage Sandesh Suresh; Pandey Prashant; Nittu Anand; Akash Babu; Dasari Raju; Reddy Nandika Sanjeeba; Rana Nivesh; Melethil Insaf Rahman; Barla Chantanya Krishna; Ghosh Arijit; Mondal Raihan; and Gangwar Shiv Om.
Babafemi also said NDLEA operatives in Oyo state on Monday, 29th December 2025, arrested a wanted female drug kingpin who is a major illicit drug distributor in Ibadan, the state capital.
He said the 65-year-old grandma, Fatima Ilori, popularly known as Mama Kerosene, was nabbed in an intelligence-led operation following the seizure of 238.4kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, linked to her. She was arrested along with another female suspect, Olusanya Abosede, 35, at the Onireke/Elekuro area of Ibadan.
The Spokesman added that operatives of the Agency have intercepted various quantities of illicit substances, including Ketamine, Ecstasy, and Tramadol pills concealed in sachets of coffee mix and book parcels heading to Zambia and the United Kingdom. He said the seizures were made at a courier company in Lagos on 24th and 29th December 2025.
NDLEA agents