The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 37-year-old businessman, Ani Onyebuchi Romans, for concealing 5.3 kilograms of tramadol pills inside full-body mannequins. The arrest occurred during a routine patrol along Oron-Ibaka Road in Oron Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.
NDLEA operatives intercepted Romans on January 9, 2026, while he transported the mannequins for his clothing business to Cameroon. A thorough search revealed the drugs stuffed inside the mannequins. Romans admitted he bought the tramadol in Onitsha, Anambra State, and planned to sell it in Cameroon after returning from holiday visits.
In a separate operation, NDLEA rearrested 80-year-old ex-convict Jeremiah Isaiah Nkanta on January 10, 2026, in Mmanta-Abak Village, Abak Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State. Agents recovered 5.7 kilograms of skunk from his residence. Nkanta, previously sentenced to two years in prison in 2022 for drug trafficking, has returned to illicit activities.
These arrests form part of NDLEA's ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking nationwide. Additional seizures include assorted cannabis in Oyo State, with arrests of individuals like 45-year-old Remi Bamidele, from whom 10.696 kilograms were recovered. Similar operations occurred in Edo, Niger, Taraba, and Adamawa states.
NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, stated, "These operations demonstrate our unwavering commitment to disrupting drug networks. The creative concealment methods, like using mannequins, will not deter us from protecting public health and safety."