A 74-year-old man, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, has been arrested by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operatives at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, after a large quantity of cocaine was found concealed in his luggage using foil papers and balloons.
Read more: 74-year-old grandfather heading to the UK arrested at Abuja airport with 11kg of cocaineEmeka, who said he was traveling to London on vacation, was apprehended by NDLEA officers in the departure hall while attempting to board British Airways flight BA082 to Heathrow on Saturday, 14th March 2026.
According to a statement released on Sunday by NDLEA Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, officers discovered blocks of cocaine weighing 11 kilograms hidden inside food items, including ground dry pepper, and carefully wrapped in foil and balloons during the search.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence arrested Mrs. Maryam Olalowo at Ikad Hotel and Suites, Etim Inyang Street, Victoria Island, in the early hours of Monday, 9th March. She was caught attempting to sell 89 grams of cocaine and 20 grams of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis. At the time of her arrest, she was with her three children, including an infant. Maryam confessed that the drugs belonged to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who was subsequently taken into custody the same day, while she was immediately released.
Ibrahim admitted ownership of the drugs and further investigation revealed he had previously been arrested, convicted, and sentenced to two and a half years in prison for a similar offense in 2015.
In another operation, NDLEA officers arrested two suspects, Kalilou Simpara and Saidu Ibrahim, at Ebetu Ero, Lagos Island, after recovering 68,000 pills of tramadol (250mg and 225mg) which they had loaded into a truck for transport to Benin Republic on Monday, 9th March.
A follow-up on Wednesday, 11th March, at Idumota market, Lagos Island, led to the arrest of Nnamdi Cyprian, identified as the owner of the consignment. A search of his shop uncovered a parcel ready for delivery containing 1,000 tablets of tramadol 250mg. Another raid at Idumota market on Friday, 13th March, resulted in the arrest of Nwanosike Kelvin and the recovery of 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection from his shop.
Elsewhere, 42-year-old Magaji Dan Azumi was arrested in the Bebeji area of Kano with 386kg of skunk on Tuesday, 10th March. NDLEA officers in Abuja also recovered 282.2kg of skunk from Isah Wako, 42, in the Gwagwalada area of the FCT on Friday, 13th March.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives raided the Egwa forest reserve in Aduan village, Orhionmwon LGA, apprehending Chinedo Odalonu, 33, and destroying a total of 4,218.96kg of skunk found on two farms, with 16.5kg of the substance recovered.
Additionally, no fewer than 339,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup were intercepted in two containers at the Apapa seaport in Lagos on Saturday, 14th March, during a joint inspection by NDLEA, Customs, and other security agencies. The containers had been watch-listed following credible intelligence regarding concealed opioids.
The NDLEA also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy activities nationwide. Recent efforts included sensitization lectures at ERCC Secondary School, Duguru, Nasarawa; Awoyemi Commercial High School, Okeho, Oyo; Ogunu Primary School, Delta; Seven Angels University Secondary School, Calabar, Cross River; Edo National College, Iguobazuwa, Edo State; and a WADA advocacy visit by Zone 11 Command to Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, among others.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers and men of the NAIA, Lagos, Kano, Edo, and FCT Commands for their recent arrests and seizures, and praised all NDLEA commands nationwide for maintaining a balance between drug supply reduction and demand reduction efforts.
