NDLEA Alerts Nigerians: Beware of Unknown Consignments from Abroad

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has issued a serious caution to Nigerians, urging them to be wary of accepting packages from friends and relatives residing overseas, especially when unaware of the full contents. This warning comes amidst a noticeable rise in the concealment of illegal substances within consolidated cargo shipments.

Femi Babafemi, the spokesperson for the anti-narcotics body, highlighted this concerning development in a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, September 13. Babafemi revealed that some Nigerians in the diaspora are reportedly dispatching consolidated parcels containing prohibited drugs, specifically strains of cannabis known as Colorado and Loud, to their family members and acquaintances in Nigeria.

According to the agency, these unsuspecting individuals are often listed as the designated recipients or consignees of these shipments, inadvertently exposing them to the risk of arrest and subsequent prosecution. Babafemi strongly advised Nigerians who are not complicit in drug trafficking networks to refrain from receiving consignments on behalf of those abroad, particularly if they are uncertain about what the packages contain.

His message, shared as a “RED ALERT,” emphasized the gravity of the situation: “The new thing now is that some of our ‘abroad’ people are sending home consolidated cargoes contaminated with illicit drugs especially Colorado and Loud, putting their family members and friends as consignees or recipients. The warning here is, if you’re not part of the syndicate, don’t accept to receive consignments on behalf of your ‘abroad’ brother or sister or friend particularly if you don’t know the full content of the consignment. Many are already behind bars for this and the number keeps increasing with daily operations by @ndlea_nigeria officers. Please heed this warning and save yourself of the jail experience.”