A 62-year-old Lagos-based businessman, Nwabueze Nicholas Izueke, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, while attempting to travel to China after ingesting 95 wraps of cocaine.
Izueke was apprehended on Saturday, January 31, 2026, during outward passenger clearance for Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 en route to China via Addis Ababa. A body scan revealed he had ingested illicit drugs, after which he was placed under medical observation. He subsequently excreted 95 jumbo-sized pellets of cocaine, weighing a total of 1.589 kilograms, in seven rounds.
In his statement, the suspect, who claimed to be into clothing and auto spare parts business in Lagos, said he ventured into drug trafficking to raise funds to complete a country home in his village, Iwollo, Enugu State.
The arrest was part of a sweeping nationwide operation by the NDLEA that led to multiple seizures and arrests across several states.
In Abuja, NDLEA operatives recovered 627.7 kilograms of skunk from a makeshift warehouse at Fums Plaza, Kubwa. In the same operation, officers foiled attempts to smuggle methamphetamine concealed in MP3 speakers from Enugu to Abuja and Kaduna.
The consignments were intercepted on Friday, February 6. A follow-up raid in Zuba, FCT, led to the arrest of Ebube Okeke, owner of a parcel containing 173 grams of meth. Three other suspects—Evans Ugwu, Mohammed Eze Arinze and Friday Michael—were arrested in Kaduna on Saturday, February 7, while attempting to collect a second consignment weighing 28 grams.
In Taraba State, operatives at the Dan-Anacha patrol point in Gassol Local Government Area intercepted a 32-year-old suspect, Yusuf Abubakar, on Friday, February 6, conveying packs of Hollandia yoghurt from Lagos to Mubi, Adamawa State. A search revealed 1.8 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed inside the yoghurt packs.
In Oyo State, NDLEA officers on Thursday, February 5, arrested a 29-year-old Beninoise, Shuaibu Abdulrahman, at Ibudo-Igboho village, Sooro Kishi, where 149.6 kilograms of skunk concealed in rice shafts were recovered. In a separate operation in Ibadan, Adeniyi Adeola, also known as “Prince,” was arrested on Wednesday, February 4, at Foko, Agbeni Market. Recovered from his truck (BDJ 767 YC) were 10,820 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 117,820 capsules of tramadol.
Also in Ibadan, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, February 7, arrested a drug kingpin, Jimoh Nurudeen, 40, at Badeku area, where he allegedly operated a facility producing Colorado, a synthetic cannabis. His accomplice, Ogundipe Yusuf, 27, was also arrested. Items recovered included eight litres of precursor chemicals, 14 grams of skunk, production paraphernalia, ₦7,408,400 in cash, and two vehicles—a Mercedes-Benz SUV (ABC 832 AZ) and a Toyota Highlander (RBC 243 BS).
In Kwara State, a fuel tanker transporting petrol from Lagos to Maiduguri was intercepted on Saturday, February 7. A search uncovered 395,400 capsules of tramadol concealed within the truck, and the driver was taken into custody.
In Imo State, a couple, Izuchukwu Azubuike, 37, and Ifunaya Mmadueke, 32, were arrested at Umuaka, Njaba Local Government Area, with 203 kilograms of skunk on Saturday, February 7. In Ondo State, operatives recovered 420 kilograms of skunk hidden in a bush at Ikun Akoko on Friday, February 6.
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At the Marine Command in Badagry, Lagos State, NDLEA officers seized 31 wraps of cocaine concealed in a handbag from a suspect, Eze Nodebechi Austin, who arrived from Côte d’Ivoire by passenger boat at Yekeme on Friday, February 6.
In Lagos Island, a suspect, Adekunle Oluwatosin Olajide, was arrested on Wednesday, February 4, with 3.6 kilograms of Canadian Loud and Colorado. In Enugu, a 37-year-old drug dealer, Emeka Okeke, was arrested at his hideout on Akuruka Street, Asata, Ezeagu, where various quantities of skunk, methamphetamine, cocaine, molly and ₦457,700 in cash were recovered.
Meanwhile, NDLEA commands across the country intensified their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, communities, workplaces and worship centres during the week.
Commending the officers involved in the operations across MAKIA, Marine, FCT, Taraba, Oyo, Kwara, Imo, Ondo and Lagos commands, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), urged them to sustain the momentum, professionalism and commitment in both drug supply and demand reduction efforts nationwide.
