NDLEA Arrests 74-Year-Old Traveller with 11kg Cocaine at Abuja Airport

A 74-year-old man, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after officers discovered 11 kilograms of cocaine concealed in his luggage. The suspect was reportedly preparing to board a British Airways flight to London when the illicit drugs were uncovered during routine screening at the departure hall.

The arrest forms part of a wider series of anti-drug operations carried out across the country, including major seizures of opioids and cannabis in Lagos, Kano, Edo, and the Federal Capital Territory. In Lagos alone, NDLEA operatives intercepted a shipment containing 339,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup at the Apapa Seaport, while raids in Ebute Ero and Idumota markets resulted in multiple arrests and seizures of prohibited substances.

Authorities say the operations highlight the agency’s continued effort to curb drug trafficking networks and reduce the availability of illicit substances within and beyond Nigeria’s borders.

Cocaine Hidden in Food Items Discovered at Abuja Airport

NDLEA officers arrested the septuagenarian on Saturday, 14 March 2026, as he attempted to board flight BA082 bound for Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom. According to the agency, a search of his luggage revealed several blocks of cocaine weighing approximately 11 kilograms.

The drugs were reportedly concealed inside food items, including ground dry pepper, and wrapped in foil papers and balloons to evade detection. Officials said the suspect claimed he was travelling to London for vacation, but subsequent inspection uncovered the illicit cargo.

The discovery underscores the increasingly sophisticated methods used by traffickers to disguise narcotics in everyday goods. Airport interdiction units have intensified passenger screening procedures in response to growing concerns about international drug trafficking routes.

Lagos Raids Lead to Arrests and Major Drug Seizures

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence arrested Mrs. Maryam Olalowo at Ikad Hotel and Suites on Etim Inyang Street in Victoria Island. She was reportedly attempting to sell 89 grams of cocaine and 20 grams of “Canadian Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis.

At the time of the arrest, she was accompanied by her three children, including an infant. During interrogation, she told investigators the drugs belonged to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji. He was subsequently arrested the same day after the claim was verified, while his wife was released.

Further investigation revealed that Olatunji had previously been arrested, convicted, and sentenced to two and a half years in prison in 2015 for a similar offence, raising concerns about repeat involvement in illicit drug trade activities.

NDLEA Nationwide Crackdown Targets Opioid and Cannabis Networks

The agency also reported several other operations across Nigeria during the week under review. In an interdiction effort at Ebute Ero on Lagos Island, NDLEA operatives arrested two suspects after discovering 68,000 pills of tramadol in a truck allegedly destined for the Benin Republic.

Follow-up raids in Idumota market led to the arrest of additional suspects and the recovery of thousands of tramadol tablets and 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injections from various shops.

Outside Lagos, the agency recorded significant seizures of cannabis. In Kano, officers arrested a suspect with 386 kilograms of skunk in the Bebeji area. Another 282.2 kilograms of the substance were recovered in Gwagwalada, within the Federal Capital Territory.

Meanwhile, in Edo State, operatives raided the Egwa Forest Reserve in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, where they destroyed more than 4,200 kilograms of skunk cultivated on illicit farms and arrested a suspect linked to the operation.

Interception of Codeine Shipment and Continued Drug Awareness Campaigns

A major seizure also occurred at the Apapa Seaport in Lagos, where NDLEA officers, working alongside Customs officials and other security agencies, intercepted two containers containing 339,800 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup.

The containers had reportedly been placed under surveillance following intelligence indicating that opioids were concealed in the shipments. Authorities described the interception as one of the largest pharmaceutical opioid seizures recorded recently at the port.

Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA continues to expand its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign across schools and communities. Awareness lectures were delivered in educational institutions across several states, including Nasarawa, Oyo, Delta, Cross River, and Edo, as part of efforts to discourage drug abuse among young people.

Commending the officers involved in the week’s operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Buba Marwa, praised the agency’s commands in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Edo, and the Federal Capital Territory for their vigilance. He also encouraged personnel nationwide to maintain a balanced approach between reducing drug supply and preventing drug demand through public education initiatives.