NDLEA Arrests India-bound Drug Kingpin, Recovers N3.6bn Colos
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have arrested a 48-year-old Lagos businessman, Nwankwo Innocent Onyebuchi, with 1.550kg of cocaine concealed in his luggage at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
According to NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, August 16, 2026, Onyebuchi, who is said to have
allegedly sold off his assets and marble business to finance a N23 million cocaine deal, was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal II while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi, India.
The suspect, who deals in marbles in Lagos, had the cocaine factory-fitted into the side walls and railings of his check-in bag.
In his confession, Onyebuchi reportedly said he sold his marble business and other assets to raise the N23 million used to purchase the consignment, hoping to sell the cocaine in India for as much as N100 million.
His arrest, however, brought his alleged plan to transform from a marble trader into a major player in the illicit drug trade to an abrupt end. He remains in NDLEA custody pending prosecution.
In separate operations across the country, NDLEA operatives also recovered 3,776 cartons containing 377,600 bottles of codeine syrup worth over N2.6 billion from a warehouse in Lagos.
At the residence of suspected drug kingpin, Shoremi Kayode, 55, in Ipaja, Lagos, operatives recovered 324kg of Colorado cannabis valued at N972 million, as well as two vehicles.
Other major seizures included 239,490 tramadol capsules in Plateau; 728,958 opioid pills, 360g of cocaine and 99.8g of methamphetamine in Kano; 55.96kg of skunk in Kwara; and 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine and 6,000 ampoules of tramadol in Oyo.
In Edo, the Agency destroyed 4,628.9775kg of skunk cultivated on two cannabis farms covering 1.85 hectares, while several suspects were arrested in connection with drug trafficking operations across the affected states.
The NDLEA also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools and communities across the country.
Commending personnel for the seizures and arrests, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), urged officers nationwide to sustain efforts aimed at reducing both the supply and demand for illicit drugs.
