NDLEA Arrests 74-Year-Old Grandfather with 11kg Cocaine at Abuja Airport
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended a 74-year-old grandfather, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The arrest occurred as he attempted to board a British Airways flight BA082 to Heathrow London on Saturday, March 14, 2026. Emeka claimed he was traveling to the United Kingdom for a vacation, but a search of his luggage revealed a large consignment of cocaine weighing 11 kilogrammes.
Concealment in Food Items and Balloons
The illicit drugs were discovered concealed inside food items, including ground dry pepper, and were carefully wrapped in foil papers and balloons. This sophisticated concealment method highlights the ongoing challenges faced by drug enforcement agencies in intercepting narcotics. The septuagenarian was arrested at the Departure Hall, underscoring the NDLEA's vigilance in monitoring international travel hubs.
Additional Arrests and Seizures Across Nigeria
In a separate operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested Mrs. Maryam Olalowo at Ikad Hotel and Suites on Etim Inyang Street, Victoria Island, on Monday, March 9, 2026. She was found with 89 grammes of cocaine and 20 grammes of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis, while accompanied by her three children, including an infant. Olalowo confessed that the drugs belonged to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who was subsequently taken into custody. Ibrahim confirmed ownership and was revealed to have a prior conviction for a similar offence in 2015, having served two and a half years imprisonment.
Further interdiction efforts led to the arrest of two suspects, Kalilou Simpara and Saidu Ibrahim, at Ebetu-Ero in Lagos Island on Monday, March 9, 2026. They were apprehended with 68,000 pills of tramadol 250mg and 225mg, which they were preparing to transport to Benin Republic. A follow-up operation at Idumota market, Lagos Island, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, resulted in the arrest of Nnamdi Cyprian, the actual owner of the consignment. A search of his shop uncovered a parcel containing 1,000 tablets of tramadol 250mg ready for delivery.
Another raid at Idumota market on Friday, March 13, 2026, led to the arrest of Nwanosike Kelvin and the recovery of 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection from his shop. In Kano, a 42-year-old Magaji Dan Azumi was arrested at the Bebeji area on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, with 386kg of skunk. Similarly, in Abuja, NDLEA officers recovered 282.2kg of skunk from a suspect, Isah Wako, 42, in the Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory on Friday, March 13, 2026.
Large-Scale Drug Destruction and Interception
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives raided the Egwa Forest Reserve in Aduan Village, Orhionmwon Local Council, apprehending a suspect, Chinedo Odalonu, 33. The operation resulted in the destruction of 4,218.96 kilogrammes of skunk on two farms, with an additional 16.5kg recovered. Additionally, at the Apapa seaport in Lagos on Saturday, March 14, 2026, a joint examination by NDLEA officers, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and other security agencies intercepted about 339,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup in two containers. These containers had been watch-listed by the NDLEA based on credible intelligence regarding opioid concealment.
Commendation from NDLEA Leadership
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa (retired), commended the officers and men of the airport, Lagos, Kano, Edo, and FCT Commands for their efforts in the arrests and seizures over the past week. He also praised their counterparts across all commands for maintaining a fair balance between drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts. These operations demonstrate the agency's commitment to combating drug trafficking and abuse nationwide, targeting both high-profile individuals and large-scale distribution networks.
