Personnel of the Nigeria Police Force have uncovered a major drug syndicate in Lagos State following a coordinated raid that led to the recovery of illicit drugs valued at ₦7.8 billion in the Maryland area of the state.
The operation, carried out over the weekend, also resulted in the arrest of several suspects, including the alleged kingpin, Eke Ifeanyi Henry, after police officers reportedly rejected a ₦500 million bribe offered during the sting operation.
The raid was executed by a combined team of officers from the Zone 2 Police Command and the Special Protection Unit (SPU) on the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu.
Authorities said the operation followed months of intelligence gathering and surveillance conducted by the SPU in collaboration with the Zone 2 Headquarters.
During the operation, security operatives recovered hundreds of bags of suspected Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, with an estimated street value running into billions of naira.
Speaking with journalists, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, AIG Olohundare Jimoh, disclosed that the suspect had been under surveillance for several months before his eventual arrest on May 19.
According to him, the suspect allegedly attempted to compromise the operation by offering a ₦500 million bribe to the SPU commander in exchange for allowing him to contact associates and move the consignment to another location.
He said the bribe offer was immediately rejected and properly documented for further investigation.
AIG Jimoh noted that the successful operation highlights the effectiveness of deploying specialised police units alongside divisional teams as part of the policing reforms introduced by the Inspector General.
“The operation demonstrates the value of integrating specialised units like the SPU into grassroots policing operations,” he said.
Police authorities stated that the SPU was specifically deployed to secure the perimeter during the operation and prevent suspects from escaping or tampering with evidence.
Reacting to the development, IGP Disu said the success of the operation validates the ongoing redeployment of police personnel to divisions and operational units across Lagos and Ogun states.
He stressed that community-focused policing remains central to the force’s strategy, adding that collaboration between specialised units and divisional formations is critical to tackling organised crime.
“The professionalism shown by the SPU commander in rejecting a ₦500 million bribe and following due procedure is the standard we expect. It shows that when you put your best foot forward at the grassroots, you get results and restore public trust,” the IGP stated.
He added that the police leadership would continue to reward integrity while ensuring officers remain accountable to professional standards.
The police further confirmed that all exhibits recovered during the raid have been properly documented and would be tendered in court as investigations continue.
