The army reiterated its commitment to supporting security agencies in combating drug trafficking and other criminal activities across the country.
The Nigerian Army has said that its troops from 65 Battalion have intercepted a truck conveying a large consignment of illicit drugs along the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road, leading to the arrest of the driver and the recovery of the suspected narcotics.
The operation, which was carried out on July 9, 2026, followed actionable intelligence from a credible source, according to the Nigerian Army.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 81 Division Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, the Army said the intelligence-led operation resulted in the successful interception of the vehicle.
Yahaya stated that preliminary investigations revealed that the illicit drugs were being transported to the Berger area of Lagos State.
However, he said the arrested driver failed to provide satisfactory information on the ownership of the consignment or the identity of its intended recipient.
The Army said the suspect and the recovered drugs were subsequently handed over to the Lagos State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The handover was carried out by the Commanding Officer of the 65 Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel S. Adeojo.
Commenting on the operation, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Adebayo Babalola, commended the troops for what he described as their vigilance, professionalism and operational effectiveness.
He urged the soldiers to sustain the momentum of ongoing operations and intensify efforts to deny drug traffickers and other criminal elements freedom of operation within the 81 Division Area of Responsibility.
The army reiterated its commitment to supporting security agencies in combating drug trafficking and other criminal activities across the country.
The interception is the latest in a series of operations by the Nigerian military and anti-narcotics authorities targeting the movement of illicit drugs across Nigeria.
Security agencies have repeatedly warned that drug trafficking networks often exploit major highways and interstate transport routes, including the Lagos–Calabar corridor, to move narcotics to urban distribution centres.
In recent months, troops deployed in different parts of the country have intercepted vehicles conveying suspected cannabis, tramadol, codeine-based syrups and other prohibited substances during intelligence-led operations.
Many of the recovered consignments were subsequently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution.
The NDLEA has also intensified nationwide operations against drug cartels, announcing multiple seizures of large quantities of cocaine, cannabis, methamphetamine and opioid-based pharmaceuticals at seaports, airports, border communities and highways.
The agency has maintained that the crackdown is aimed at dismantling trafficking networks and reducing the availability of illicit drugs linked to organised crime and insecurity across Nigeria.
