NDLEA Intercepts 116 Drug Wraps from Brazil Returnees in Major Airport Bust

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded significant victories in its fight against international drug trafficking, with two Brazil returnees excreting a total of 116 wraps of heroin and cocaine while in custody at Lagos airport. The operation, which unfolded over several days in September 2025, represents part of a broader crackdown that has yielded multiple arrests and substantial drug seizures across Nigeria.

International Drug Mules Caught at Lagos Airport

The first suspect, 46-year-old Ofoma Sunday, was apprehended on September 16, 2025, at Terminal 2 of Murtala Muhammed International Airport upon his arrival from Brazil via Ethiopian Airlines. Airport security conducted a body scan that confirmed the ingestion of illicit substances, leading to his immediate detention for observation. Ofoma had departed Nigeria on September 3 for Brazil, where he was promised $2,500 for successfully delivering the drug consignment to Lagos.

Following Ofoma’s arrest, NDLEA operatives conducted a swift follow-up operation at Eliata Hotel in Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, where the suspect was scheduled to meet his handler. The operation resulted in the arrest of 55-year-old Nweke Jude Chuckwudi, who was designated to oversee the drug excretion process and recovery at the hotel. Over eight separate excretions, Ofoma expelled 111 wraps of heroin weighing 1.452 kilograms.

The second Brazil returnee, Ukachukwu Frank Ikechukwu, was arrested on September 19 during inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines passengers from Brazil via Addis Ababa. Body scans confirmed drug insertion, and under observation, Ukachukwu expelled five large wraps of cocaine weighing 145 grams. In his confession, he revealed purchasing nine wraps of the Class A drug in Brazil and inserting them into his anus, a process that took nearly two hours.

Sophisticated Concealment Methods and Additional Seizures

Beyond the body-packing cases, NDLEA operatives uncovered increasingly sophisticated drug concealment methods at Lagos airport. On September 14, Aviation Security Officers collaborated with NDLEA to arrest businesswoman Okolonkwo Ebere Theresa, who had concealed 1.40 kilograms of methamphetamine in her butt pad underwear while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Doha. The suspect claimed to operate a clothing business and POS services in Enugu before being recruited into drug trafficking.

The agency also intercepted creative smuggling attempts involving everyday items. At the NAHCO export shed, operatives discovered 40 wraps of methamphetamine weighing 2.30 kilograms hidden in food items destined for Hong Kong via Turkish Airlines on September 15. The 59-year-old suspect, Umelo Ifeanyi Venatus, presented the consignment as consolidated cargo. Additionally, seven phone chargers bound for New Zealand were found to contain 257 grams of cocaine during a September 18 examination at a Lagos courier company.

Drug trafficking networks have demonstrated remarkable adaptability in their concealment methods, utilizing both human carriers and commercial shipping channels. The variety of methods employed – from body insertion to modified consumer electronics – illustrates the sophisticated nature of international drug trafficking operations targeting Nigeria as both a transit point and destination.

NDLEA Nationwide Operations Yield Massive Drug Hauls

NDLEA’s operations extended far beyond Lagos airport, with significant seizures recorded across multiple states. In Adamawa State, three separate raids yielded 233,800 pills of tramadol between September 17-20. The largest seizure involved 195,600 pills recovered from an abandoned Toyota Sienna vehicle in Mayo Belwa area of Yola South. Rita Zira was arrested in Jambutu area of Jimeta Yola with 27,900 tramadol pills found in her bedroom, while Halilu Abubakar, 22, was apprehended at Namtari checkpoint with 10,300 pills.

Zamfara State witnessed one of the most substantial cannabis seizures when NDLEA operatives, supported by Community Protection Guards, intercepted 109 bags of skunk weighing 1,099.4 kilograms from 40-year-old Hammed Danladi Aliyu. The suspect was transporting the consignment in a Mitsubishi Canter truck along Gummi-Daki Takwas road, destined for a village called Company in Gummi Local Government Area.

The NDLEA’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retired), emphasized the significance of these operations in dismantling drug trafficking organizations. He commended the officers across various commands and stressed the continued implementation of a balanced approach to drug control efforts, particularly focusing on protecting Nigeria’s youth population from illicit substances while improving the country’s international image