Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 30-year-old Italy-based Nigerian businessman, Joseph Cyril, at Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu after he allegedly swallowed 98 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.510kg while attempting to board a flight to Europe.
The arrest occurred on Sunday, August 2, 2026, during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET930, according to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi. Cyril was subsequently placed under excretion observation, during which he expelled the 98 wraps.
Suspect admits to trafficking for relocation to Germany
Investigations revealed that Cyril had arrived in Nigeria from Italy on July 13, 2026, and ingested the drug in a hotel in Awka, Anambra State, before proceeding to Enugu to board his flight.
In his statement, Cyril claimed he had been doing business in Italy for years but agreed to traffic the drug consignment for a fee of 3,500 Euros to raise money to relocate to Germany, where his family is based, Babafemi said.
Other cocaine seizures at courier firms in Lagos
The NDLEA also thwarted attempts to export cocaine concealed in phone chargers and a backpack. At a courier firm in Lagos, officers intercepted 1.2 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside 25 pieces of phone chargers destined for Saudi Arabia.
In another logistics company, 500 grams of cocaine hidden in the false bottom of a backpack bound for Italy was equally aborted by NDLEA officers on Monday, August 3, 2026.
Major cannabis seizures across Nigeria
Beyond the airport arrests, the NDLEA recorded several major operations nationwide. Among the seizures was 2.3kg of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, intercepted after arriving from the United States.
On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Akure-Ilesha Expressway intercepted a truck heading to the North with 1,633 kilograms of skunk concealed in bags of rice shafts. Two suspects, Buba Jamilu (40) and Sanusi Ibrahim (30), were arrested in connection with the shipment.
Another 147kg of skunk was recovered during a raid in Ita Ogbolu forest.
Raids in Oyo, Edo, Abia, and Lagos
In Oyo State, operatives raided a drug warehouse in Elebure village, Orire LGA, on Monday, August 3, 2026, recovering 731.03 kilograms of cannabis and arresting a suspect, Felicia Thompson, 57, while her partner, Thompson Vincent Nwaka, is at large.
In Edo State, officers working alongside soldiers recovered another 604.5kg of skunk during a raid in Owan West Local Government Area. In Abia State, Chibuike Charles, 31, was arrested during a raid on a suspected drug joint, where 7kg of skunk was recovered.
The NDLEA also announced the arrest of Adome Claude Sikuru, a wanted drug dealer who had allegedly been on the run for three months. The agency said 88.5kg of skunk was recovered from him after his arrest in Badagry, Lagos.
Cannabis-infused cookies and gummies intercepted at Tincan Port
In another operation, NDLEA officers working with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies intercepted a 40-foot container carrying 309.4kg of cannabis-infused cookies and gummies at the Tincan Port in Lagos.
Babafemi said: "A total of 73 cartons containing 442 packets of cookies and gummies infused with cannabis weighing 309.4kg were discovered during a joint examination of a 40ft container by NDLEA officers, Customs and other security agencies on Tuesday 4th August at the Tincan port complex Lagos." He added that a suspect, Larry Nnaji, has already been arrested in connection with the seizure.
The latest arrests and seizures are part of NDLEA's ongoing nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking networks, with the agency continuing to target traffickers at airports, seaports, courier companies, and major transport routes across the country.
