Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have arrested a 74-year-old man after discovering 11 kilograms of cocain concealed in his luggage.
NDLEA’s spokesman, Mr. Femi Babafemi, disclosed this is a statement on Sunday, saying that the septuagenarian, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, was arrested at the departure hall of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Ikwuakalom, who claimed he was travelling to London, United Kingdom, for a vacation, was intercepted on Saturday, March 14, 2026, while attempting to board a British Airways flight BA082 bound for Heathrow Airport.
During a search of his luggage, NDLEA officers discovered blocks of cocaine hidden inside food items, including ground dry pepper, carefully wrapped in foil papers and balloons.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence arrested a woman, Mrs. Maryam Olalowo, in the early hours of Monday, March 9, at Ikad Hotel and Suites while she attempted to sell 89 grams of cocaine and 20 grams of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis. She was arrested in the company of her three children, including an infant.
She told investigators that the illicit drugs belonged to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who was subsequently arrested later the same day. Following her statement, Maryam was released while her husband was taken into custody.
Ibrahim later admitted ownership of the drugs during interrogation. Further investigation revealed that he had previously been arrested, convicted, and sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment in 2015 for a similar drug-related offence.
In another operation, NDLEA operatives arrested two suspects, Kalilou Simpara and Saidu Ibrahim, at Ebetu Ero on Lagos Island, where officers recovered 68,000 pills of tramadol (250mg and 225mg). The suspects had loaded the drugs into a truck and were preparing to transport them to the Benin Republic when they were intercepted on Monday, March 9.
A follow-up operation on Wednesday, March 11, at Idumota Market on Lagos Island led to the arrest of the alleged owner of the consignment, Nnamdi Cyprian. A search of his shop uncovered a parcel prepared for waybill delivery containing 1,000 tablets of tramadol (250mg).
Another raid at the market on Friday, March 13, resulted in the arrest of Nwanosike Kelvin and the recovery of 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection from his shop.
Elsewhere, NDLEA operatives arrested a 42-year-old suspect, Magaji Dan Azumi, in the Bebeji area of Kano State with 386 kilograms of skunk on Tuesday, March 10. In Abuja, officers also recovered 282.2 kilograms of skunk from another suspect, Isah Wako, 42, in the Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory on Friday, March 13.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives raided the Egwa Forest Reserve in Aduan village, Orhionmwon Local Government Area, where a suspect, Chinedo Odalonu, 33, was arrested. During the operation, 4,218.96 kilograms of skunk were destroyed on two farms, while an additional 16.5 kilograms of the substance were recovered.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 339,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup were intercepted in two containers at the Apapa Port in Lagos on Saturday, March 14. The interception followed a joint examination of the containers by NDLEA officers, personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service, and other security agencies after the shipments were earlier watch-listed based on credible intelligence.
The agency also sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign across the country. Sensitisation lectures were delivered to students and staff of ERCC Secondary School, Duguru, Nasarawa State; Awoyemi Commercial High School, Okeho, Oyo State; Ogunu Primary School, Ogunu, Delta State; Seven Angels University Secondary School, Ikot Enobong, Calabar, Cross River State; and Edo National College, Iguobazuwa, Edo State.
Additionally, the NDLEA Zone 11 Command paid a WADA advocacy visit to Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, Governor of Ebonyi State.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers and men of the NAIA, Lagos, Kano, Edo and FCT Commands for the arrests and seizures recorded during the past week. He also praised personnel across other commands nationwide for maintaining a balanced approach between drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
