The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a major breakthrough in its sustained war against illicit drug trafficking with the arrest of a Brazil-based Nigerian businessman who attempted to smuggle cocaine into the country through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. The arrest came amid a series of coordinated operations across several states that led to the seizure of more than 9,939 kilograms of cannabis and other illicit substances, as well as large quantities of controlled pharmaceutical drugs.
According to the agency, the arrests and seizures underscore the growing sophistication of drug trafficking networks and the corresponding need for intelligence-driven enforcement. NDLEA officials said the operations were carried out through inter-agency collaboration, credible intelligence, and sustained surveillance across airports, seaports, highways, and border posts nationwide.
Cocaine Concealment at Lagos Airport
Operatives of the NDLEA arrested 47-year-old Uche Franklin Onyekwere, a Nigerian businessman based in São Paulo, Brazil, at the arrival hall of the MMIA, Ikeja, on Thursday, 29 January 2026. Onyekwere was apprehended during the inward clearance of passengers arriving on a South African Airways flight from Brazil via Johannesburg, following processed intelligence that flagged him for further scrutiny.
A full body scan conducted on the suspect confirmed the presence of concealed illicit substances. He was subsequently subjected to a strip search, during which a large parcel of a white powdery substance was discovered strapped to his right thigh. Further examination revealed two additional wraps hidden in the soles of the flat footwear he wore. Laboratory tests later confirmed the substance to be cocaine, with a total gross weight of 1.60 kilograms.
During preliminary interrogation, Onyekwere admitted purchasing the cocaine in Brazil with the intention of selling it in Nigeria. He claimed the proceeds were meant to boost his toy business and finance the naming ceremony of his newborn child. The suspect disclosed that he has lived in Brazil since 2008 and has operated his business there for nearly a decade.
Massive Cannabis Seizures Across States
Beyond the airport arrest, the NDLEA recorded significant seizures of cannabis and other illicit drugs across Lagos, Niger, Edo, Anambra, Ondo, and Kano states. At the Tincan Seaport in Lagos, officers, working jointly with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies, intercepted 55 jumbo bags of Canadian Loud—a potent strain of cannabis—with a total weight of 1,183 kilograms. The consignment, imported from Montreal, Canada, was concealed inside a container housing a Hyundai SUV and a Toyota Matrix vehicle.
In Niger State, operatives intercepted a long truck along the Dei-Dei–Abuja Expressway on 26 January, leading to the arrest of three suspects. The truck was found to be conveying 176 bags of skunk weighing 2,735 kilograms, alongside one kilogram of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis. Investigations revealed that the driver had initially transported flour from Lagos to Edo State before agreeing to convey the illicit drugs for a fee of ₦1.7 million.
Further operations in Edo State led to the arrest of a suspect transporting 792 kilograms of skunk concealed in charcoal bags, as well as the destruction of over 4,000 kilograms of cannabis on a large farm in Esan South East Local Government Area. In Anambra State, a cement truck was intercepted in Onitsha, where 345.2 kilograms of skunk were found hidden beneath bags of cement. Similar arrests and seizures were recorded in Ondo State, Lagos, and along the Seme border in Badagry.
Pharmaceutical Drugs, Public Sensitisation, and Official Commendation
In Kano State, NDLEA operatives arrested suspects in possession of large quantities of controlled pharmaceutical substances, including 12,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 4,390 pills of tramadol. These seizures, the agency said, highlight the increasing misuse and illegal distribution of prescription drugs alongside traditional narcotics.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns across the country. In the past week, enlightenment programmes were conducted in schools, religious centres, workplaces, and communities in states including Yobe, Abia, Enugu, Lagos, Katsina, and Oyo. The initiative aims to reduce drug demand by educating young people and the wider public on the dangers of drug abuse.
Commending the officers involved, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the professionalism and dedication of commands across MMIA, Tincan, Niger, Lagos, Edo, Anambra, Ondo, and Kano. He urged personnel nationwide to sustain a balanced approach that combines aggressive supply reduction with robust drug demand reduction efforts.
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