NDLEA Arrests Man, 74 with 11kg Cocaine at Abuja Airport, Intercepts 339,800 Bottles of Codeine in Lagos
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 74-year-old man, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after discovering 11 kilograms of cocaine concealed in his luggage while attempting to travel to the United Kingdom.
The suspect, who claimed he was travelling to London for vacation, was intercepted at the departure hall of the airport on Saturday, March 14, 2026, while attempting to board a British Airways flight BA082 bound for Heathrow, London.
According to the agency, a search of his luggage revealed blocks of cocaine carefully concealed inside food items such as ground dry pepper. The illicit drugs were wrapped in foil papers and balloons in a bid to evade detection.
The arrest formed part of a series of nationwide operations by the anti-narcotics agency that also led to several drug seizures and arrests across multiple states.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence in the early hours of March 9 arrested a woman, Maryam Olalowo, at Ikad Hotel and Suites on Etim Inyang Street, Victoria Island, while she attempted to sell 89 grams of cocaine and 20 grams of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis.
At the time of the arrest, the suspect was with her three children, including an infant. She reportedly told investigators that the drugs belonged to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who was subsequently arrested later the same day while she was released.
Further investigation revealed that Ibrahim had previously been arrested, convicted and sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment in 2015 for a similar offence.
In another operation, NDLEA operatives arrested two suspects, Kalilou Simpara and Saidu Ibrahim, at Ebute Ero on Lagos Island where 68,000 pills of tramadol (250mg and 225mg) were recovered. The suspects had loaded the drugs into a truck and were preparing to transport them to the Benin Republic when they were intercepted on March 9.
A follow-up raid at Idumota Market on March 11 led to the arrest of the alleged owner of the consignment, Nnamdi Cyprian. A search of his shop uncovered a parcel prepared for waybill delivery containing 1,000 tablets of tramadol (250mg).
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Another raid at the same market on March 13 resulted in the arrest of Nwanosike Kelvin, from whose shop operatives recovered 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection.
Elsewhere, a 42-year-old suspect, Magaji Dan Azumi, was arrested in the Bebeji area of Kano State with 386 kilograms of skunk on March 10. Similarly, NDLEA officers in Abuja recovered 282.2 kilograms of the same substance from another suspect, Isah Wako, in the Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory on March 13.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives raided the Egwa Forest Reserve in Aduan village, Orhionmwon Local Government Area, where a suspect, Chinedo Odalonu, 33, was arrested. During the operation, a total of 4,218.96 kilograms of skunk cultivated on two farms were destroyed, while 16.5 kilograms of the substance were recovered.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 339,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup were intercepted in two containers at the Apapa seaport in Lagos on March 14 during a joint inspection conducted by NDLEA officers alongside personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies.
The agency said the containers had earlier been placed on a watch list following intelligence reports indicating the concealment of opioids in the shipments.
Beyond enforcement actions, NDLEA also intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign across the country during the week, delivering sensitisation lectures in several schools including ERCC Secondary School in Duguru, Nasarawa State; Awoyemi Commercial High School in Okeho, Oyo State; Ogunu Primary School in Ogunu, Delta State; Seven Angels University Secondary School in Ikot Enobong, Calabar; and Edo National College in Iguobazuwa, Edo State.
In addition, the Zone 11 Command of the agency paid an advocacy visit to Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State as part of efforts to strengthen public awareness against drug abuse.
Commending the officers and men involved in the recent operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Buba Marwa, praised personnel of the Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Edo and Federal Capital Territory commands for the arrests and seizures recorded during the week.
Marwa also lauded officers across all commands of the agency for maintaining a balanced approach between drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction strategies in the ongoing fight against illicit drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria.
By PRNigeria
