Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 74-year-old man, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, after allegedly discovering 11 kilograms of cocaine concealed in his luggage as he prepared to board a flight to the United Kingdom.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement that the septuagenarian, who claimed he was travelling to London for vacation, was apprehended at the departure hall of the Abuja airport on Saturday, March 14, 2026, while attempting to board British Airways flight BA082 to Heathrow.
According to the NDLEA, a search of his luggage led to the discovery of blocks of cocaine hidden inside food items, including ground dry pepper, and carefully wrapped in foil papers and balloons.
In a separate operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence in the early hours of Monday, March 9, arrested a woman, Mrs. Maryam Olalowo, at Ikad Hotel and Suites on Etim Inyang Street, Victoria Island, while she was allegedly attempting to sell 89 grams of cocaine and 20 grams of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis.
She was reportedly found with her three children, including an infant, at the time of the arrest. Investigators said she claimed the drugs belonged to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who was later arrested the same day. NDLEA said Maryam was immediately released, while Ibrahim allegedly admitted ownership of the illicit drugs during interrogation.
Further investigation, according to the agency, revealed that Ibrahim had previously been arrested, convicted and sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for a similar offence in 2015.
Also in Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested two suspects, Kalilou Simpara and Saidu Ibrahim, at Ebute Ero on Monday, March 9, after recovering 68,000 pills of tramadol in 250mg and 225mg strengths allegedly loaded into a truck and set for transportation to the Benin Republic.
A follow-up operation at Idumota Market on Wednesday, March 11, led to the arrest of the alleged owner of the consignment, Nnamdi Cyprian. A search of his shop reportedly uncovered a parcel prepared for waybill delivery containing 1,000 tablets of tramadol 250mg.
Another raid at Idumota Market on Friday, March 13, resulted in the arrest of Nwanosike Kelvin, with operatives recovering 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection from his shop.
In Kano State, a 42-year-old suspect, Magaji Dan Azumi, was arrested in the Bebeji area with 386 kilograms of skunk on Tuesday, March 10.
Similarly, NDLEA officers in Abuja recovered 282.2 kilograms of skunk from a 42-year-old suspect, Isah Wako, in the Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory on Friday, March 13.
In Edo State, operatives raided the Egwa Forest Reserve in Aduan village, Orhionmwon Local Government Area, where a suspect, Chinedo Odalonu, 33, was apprehended. The agency said a total of 4,218.96 kilograms of skunk was destroyed on two farms, while 16.5 kilograms of the substance was recovered.
At the Apapa seaport in Lagos, NDLEA said no fewer than 339,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup were intercepted in two containers on Saturday, March 14, during a joint examination involving NDLEA officers, Customs personnel and other security agencies.
The agency said the containers had been placed on a watchlist following credible intelligence indicating the concealment of opioids in the shipments.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA said its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign continued nationwide over the past week, with sensitisation lectures delivered in schools across Nasarawa, Oyo, Delta, Cross River and Edo states. The Zone 11 Command also paid a WADA advocacy visit to Ebonyi State Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers and men of the NAIA, Lagos, Kano, Edo and FCT Commands for the arrests and seizures recorded during the week.
He also praised commands across the country for maintaining what he described as a fair balance between drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
