A 52-year-old businessman, Ejiofor Godwin Emeka, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) after he excreted 127 wraps of cocaine concealed in his body.
Emeka, who owns clothing stores in Lagos and Onitsha, Anambra State, was nabbed on October 8, 2025, upon arrival from Bangkok, Thailand, aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight. Acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA officers subjected him to a body scan, which confirmed the presence of illicit drugs both inside his system and in his private parts.
According to the agency, 58 wraps of cocaine were recovered from his underwear, while 69 more pellets were later excreted under strict medical supervision, bringing the total weight to 1.388 kilograms.
In another breakthrough, NDLEA operatives intercepted three consignments of narcotics bound for the United Kingdom at a courier firm in Lagos on October 9 and 10. The shipments contained 1.74 kilograms of methamphetamine cleverly hidden in glass ceramic blocks, 114 grams of pentazocine and 168 grams of tramadol injections, along with 48 grams of tramadol capsules disguised as Vitamin C tablets.
The agency also uncovered multiple attempts by drug cartels to smuggle narcotics to other countries. These included 2.6 kilograms of skunk and 422 grams of tapentadol packed inside black soap tablets heading to Turkey, 169 grams of cocaine concealed in ladies’ handbags en route to Australia, and 568 grams of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, tucked away in herbal containers meant for the United Arab Emirates.
At the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, NDLEA officers intercepted 27,510 rohypnol pills hidden in sachets of alcoholic drinks bound for South Africa. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of 46-year-old Samuel Omoruyi, popularly known as Yellow, who was allegedly behind the shipment. He was picked up at Oyingbo Market on October 2 after two accomplices were initially detained.
In a separate incident, Enehizena Augustine Uyimwen, a businessman based in Italy, was arrested while attempting to smuggle 3,700 tramadol pills (225mg) and 2,600 tapentadol tablets (200mg) concealed in food items to Europe. He confessed to trafficking the drugs for another person in exchange for €945.
The agency’s state commands also recorded several seizures across Nigeria. In Edo State, NDLEA operatives raided the home of Emmanuel Sunday, 33, recovering 47 kilograms of skunk. In Osun, Nureni Ayobami Eleweodo, 48, and Oladejo Taiwo, 52, were arrested at Omifufun village after officers found 635 kilograms of skunk in their Toyota Hiace bus. Two others, Timothy Omiwole and Isaac Achiatan, were caught with 100 kilograms of the same substance nearby.
Similarly, in Rivers State, Okoro Julius, 20, and Onyebuchi Nwibo, 25, were arrested following the seizure of 8.5 kilograms of skunk, while in Katsina, Sulaiman Kalalu, 46, was nabbed after NDLEA found 29.5 kilograms of cannabis in his home.
In Niger State, Yisa Daniel, 29, was apprehended in New Bussa with 22,000 tramadol capsules, 800 pentazocine ampoules, and 150,000 exol-5 pills. NDLEA officers also recovered 312 kilograms of skunk from a forest camp in Ondo State and 141.8 kilograms from two suspects along the Benin-Lagos expressway. In Kaduna, Rufai Ahmed, 27, popularly called Farin Malam, was arrested with 150,000 exol-5 tablets he was transporting from Lagos to Katsina.
Beyond arrests and seizures, the NDLEA intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign through sensitization programmes in schools and communities across the country. Awareness lectures were held in Adamawa, Ebonyi, Katsina, Enugu, Niger, Kogi, Anambra, Rivers, Kano, and Osun States to educate young people on the dangers of drug abuse.
Commending the officers involved in the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), praised their dedication and professionalism.
“Their tenacity, professionalism, and balanced approach continue to strengthen the agency’s fight against drug trafficking and abuse,” Marwa stated.
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