NDLEA arrests 74-year-old man with 11kg cocaine at Abuja airport ‎

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 74-year-old man, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, after operatives discovered 11 kilograms of cocaine concealed in his luggage.

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‎Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

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‎Babafemi said the septuagenarian, who claimed he was travelling to London in the United Kingdom for vacation, was intercepted at the departure hall while attempting to board a British Airways flight BA082 to Heathrow on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

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‎According to him, a search of the suspect’s luggage led to the discovery of blocks of cocaine hidden inside food items including ground dry pepper, carefully wrapped in foil papers and balloons.

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‎In Lagos, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence arrested a woman, Mrs. Maryam Olalowo, at Ikad Hotel and Suites on Etim Inyang Street, Victoria Island, on Monday, March 9, while attempting to sell 89 grams of cocaine and 20 grams of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis.

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‎He explained that the woman was found with her three children, including an infant, at the time of the arrest.

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‎“She confessed that the illicit drugs belonged to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who was later arrested the same day while his wife was immediately set free,” Babafemi stated.

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‎He added that Ibrahim confirmed ownership of the drugs and further investigation revealed he had previously been arrested, convicted and sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for a similar offence in 2015.

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‎Babafemi further disclosed that NDLEA operatives arrested two suspects, Kalilou Simpara and Saidu Ibrahim, at Ebute Ero on Lagos Island where 68,000 pills of tramadol 250mg and 225mg were recovered after they had loaded the drugs into a truck for onward transportation to the Benin Republic.

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‎He said a follow-up operation at Idumota Market led to the arrest of the owner of the consignment, Nnamdi Cyprian, after officers discovered a parcel containing 1,000 tablets of tramadol prepared for waybill delivery.

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‎Another raid at the market on March 13 led to the arrest of Nwanosike Kelvin with 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection recovered from his shop.

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‎In Kano State, a 42-year-old suspect, Magaji Dan Azumi, was arrested at Bebeji area with 386 kilograms of skunk.

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‎Similarly, NDLEA officers in Abuja recovered 282.2 kilograms of skunk from another suspect, Isah Wako, in Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory.

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‎Babafemi also said NDLEA operatives raided the Egwa Forest Reserve in Aduan village, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State where a suspect, Chinedo Odalonu, was apprehended.

 

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‎He said two cannabis farms were destroyed while 16.5 kilograms of the substance was recovered from the location.

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‎Babafemi further disclosed that no fewer than 339,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup were intercepted in two containers at the Apapa seaport in Lagos during a joint examination by NDLEA officers, the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies.

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‎According to him, the containers had earlier been watch-listed by NDLEA following credible intelligence about concealment of opioids in them.

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‎He added that the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign also continued across the country during the week with sensitisation lectures delivered in schools in Nasarawa, Oyo, Delta, Cross River and Edo states.

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‎Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers and men of the NAIA, Lagos, Kano, Edo and FCT Commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures.

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‎He also praised personnel across the country for balancing drug supply reduction with demand reduction efforts.

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