Obi Laments Drug Cartels’ Infiltration Of Courier Services

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over reports that drug traffickers have infiltrated Nigeria’s courier and delivery service sector, using logistics companies to move narcotics across the country.

Obi said the revelation is a worrying sign of how weak Nigeria’s institutions and monitoring systems have become.

In a post on his X handle on Tuesday titled “Raising Drug Concern in Our Society,” Obi described the situation as “a sad reminder of how deep our national decay has become.”

He noted that the development shows how criminal networks are taking advantage of corruption and poor regulation to spread drugs, while the relevant agencies look the other way.

“The recent revelation that drug traffickers have infiltrated Nigeria’s courier and delivery services sector is worrisome and another sad reminder of how deep our national decay has become.

“When criminal networks can now use logistics companies to distribute narcotics across the country, it shows how weak our institutions and relevant monitoring systems are,” Obi wrote.

He said the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has repeatedly raised alarm about this trend, yet the problem keeps growing, “apparently aided by corruption and poor regulation that have turned the enforcement body into a joke.”

Recall that THE WHISTLER had reported that the NDLEA arrested 34 suspects across Lagos, Ogun, Kano, Abuja, Oyo, Edo, Yobe, and Anambra States between September 7 and 11, 2025.

The agency disclosed that traffickers now use courier companies, motorcycles, and airports to smuggle drugs, hiding them in cartons of multi-vitamins, spare parts, food items, and picture frames.

During the operations, NDLEA officers arrested a dispatch rider in Abuja with cocaine and Loud, seized courier packages containing methamphetamine concealed in a picture frame bound for Gabon, and intercepted Loud hidden in video players being sent to the UAE. The agency said drug cartels are increasingly exploiting delivery services to distribute narcotics across the country.

Obi in his post, warned that drug trafficking is not only a serious international crime but also a major threat to society. He explained that it destroys families, fuels crime, and corrodes the conscience of a nation.

He also added that Nigeria, already battling insecurity, youth unemployment, and hunger, cannot afford a culture where drug abuse and trafficking become normal.

Obi further called for stronger oversight and honest leadership, saying the country must rebuild a system where laws are respected and leaders are accountable.

“Nigeria will only heal when character, truth, and responsibility return to governance,” Obi said.