February 08, (THEWILL) — Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 62-year-old Lagos-based businessman, Nwabueze Nicholas Izueke, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, after he was found to have ingested 95 jumbo-sized wraps of cocaine while attempting to travel to China.
Izueke, who claimed to be involved in the clothing and auto spare parts business in Lagos, was arrested on Saturday, January 31, 2026, during the outward clearance of passengers heading to China via Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940.
The agency, in a statement signed on Sunday by its Spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said a body scan conducted by NDLEA operatives confirmed the presence of illicit drugs in Izueke’s system, after which he was placed under excretion observation. He subsequently expelled 95 pellets of cocaine weighing a total of 1.589 kilograms in seven excretions.
In his statement, the suspect admitted that he ventured into drug trafficking in a desperate bid to raise funds to complete a house he was building in his hometown of Iwollo, Enugu State.
In a related operation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), NDLEA operatives recovered 627.7 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, from a makeshift warehouse located within Fums Plaza, Kubwa. The agency also foiled an attempt to smuggle methamphetamine concealed in Mp3 speakers from Enugu to Abuja and Kaduna. The consignments were intercepted in a commercial bus in Abuja on Friday, February 6. A follow-up operation in Zuba, FCT, led to the arrest of Ebube Okeke, owner of one of the parcels containing 173 grams of meth. Meanwhile, Evans Ugwu, Mohammed Eze Arinze and Friday Michael were arrested on Saturday, February 7, in Kaduna when they arrived to collect another consignment weighing 28 grams.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives at the Dan-anacha patrol point in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State intercepted a 32-year-old suspect, Yusuf Abubakar, on Friday, February 6, while conveying packs of Hollandia yoghurt from Lagos to Mubi, Adamawa State. A search of the yoghurt packs revealed wraps of methamphetamine weighing 1.8 kilograms concealed inside.
In Oyo State, NDLEA officers on Thursday, February 5, arrested a 29-year-old Beninoise, Shuaibu Abdulrahman, at Ibudo-Igboho village, Sooro Kishi, and recovered 149.6 kilograms of skunk hidden in rice shafts. In a separate operation in Ibadan, a suspect, Adeniyi Adeola, also known as Prince, was arrested at Foko, Agbeni Market on Wednesday, February 4. Recovered from his truck were 10,820 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 117,820 capsules of tramadol.
Also in Ibadan, a notorious drug kingpin, Jimoh Nurudeen, 40, who operates a facility for producing Colorado, a synthetic cannabis, was arrested on Saturday, February 7, at the Badeku area of the city, alongside his accomplice, Ogundipe Yusuf, 27. Items recovered include eight litres of precursor chemicals, 14 grams of skunk, various production paraphernalia, ₦7,408,400 in cash, and two vehicles—a Mercedes-Benz SUV and a Toyota Highlander.
In Kwara State, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, February 7, intercepted a fuel tanker transporting petrol from Lagos to Maiduguri, Borno State. A search of the tanker led to the discovery of 395,400 capsules of tramadol concealed within the vehicle, while the driver was taken into custody.
Elsewhere, a couple, Izuchukwu Azubuike, 37, and Ifunaya Mmadueke, 32, were arrested in Umuaka, Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State, with 203 kilograms of skunk on Saturday, February 7. In Ondo State, NDLEA officers recovered 420 kilograms of skunk hidden in a bush at Ikun Akoko on Friday, February 6.
At the Yekeme waterfront in Badagry, Lagos State, operatives of the NDLEA Marine Command seized 31 wraps of cocaine concealed in a handbag from a suspect, Eze Nodebechi Austin, upon his arrival from Côte d’Ivoire by boat on Friday, February 6. In another Lagos operation, a suspect, Adekunle Oluwatosin Olajide, was arrested at Lagos Island on Wednesday, February 4, with 3.6 kilograms of Canadian Loud and Colorado.
In Enugu, NDLEA operatives arrested a 37-year-old drug dealer, Emeka Okeke, at his hideout on Akuruka Street, Asata, Ezeagu. Various quantities of skunk, methamphetamine, cocaine, molly, and cash totalling ₦457,700 were recovered from him.
Meanwhile, the agency sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns across the country, reaching schools, religious centres, workplaces and communities. These included enlightenment lectures at Agulu Awka Community Secondary School in Anambra State, Okeodo Community High School in Igboora, Oyo State, and Wisdom Foundation Secondary School in Ado, Lagos. The Niger State Command also paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Suleja, Alhaji Mohammed Auwal Ibrahim.
Commending officers of the MAKIA, Marine, FCT, Taraba, Oyo, Kwara, Imo, Ondo and Lagos Commands for their professionalism, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), urged them to sustain the momentum in both drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts nationwide.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
