A China-based Nigerian businessman, Ibeanu Vincent Chukwudulue, and two Angolan nationals: Mbandu Martins Makiadi and Ngoma Wilson Fernando, have excreted a total of 236 wraps of cocaine following their arrest by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, respectively.
The 34-year-old Ibeanu was arrested on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, while on board a Qatar Airways flight 1432 from Kano to China enroute Abuja/Doha. Acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives at the Abuja airport demanded that the suspect be deboarded following which he was taken for body scan. The result confirmed the suspect ingested illicit drug.
A statement issued on Sunday and signed by NDLEA Spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said Ibeanu was thereafter placed under observation during which he excreted a total of 52 pellets of cocaine that weighed 735.95 grams. In his statement, Ibeanu said he was into business on Lagos Island before relocating to Guanzhou, China, in 2024.
“The duo of Mbandu Martins Makiadi, 50, and Ngoma Wilson Fernando, 52, both Angolans were intercepted on Wednesday 4th February at the screening point of the departure hall of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano during the outward clearance of passengers going to Istanbul, Turkey via Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940.
“When they were taken for body scan, they tested positive for ingesting illicit drug. As a result, they were kept under observation for possible excretion. While Mbandu excreted a total of 76 wraps weighing 920 grams in seven excretions, Ngoma expelled 108 pellets that weighed 1.33 kilograms in five excretions.
“During interview, the suspects who hail from Hoji Ya Henda in Luanda, the capital of Angola claimed they were recruited by a Luanda-based automobile spare parts dealer who promised to pay them $3000 each upon successful delivery of the consignments in Turkey,” the statement said.
Also, attempt by a convicted drug kingpin Olashupo Michael Oladimeji to export 1.10 kilograms of cocaine concealed in processed cassava granules, popularly known as Garri to London, United Kingdom, on a Virgin Atlantic flight, was thwarted by NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos.
Olashupo is presently serving a five-year jail term at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, Lagos, after NDLEA arrested him in 2025 in connection with a case of unlawful conspiracy to export 17.90kg cocaine, and was successfully prosecuted, convicted and sentenced in charge number FHC/L/925C/2025, by a Federal High Court in Lagos.
“Not ready to give up on his criminal enterprise, the convict who is the Chief Executive Officer of Dimeji Express Logistics, located at 20, Omilade Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos, initiated the latest scheme from behind the prison wall to export the 1.10kg cocaine, using his company. His lid was, however, uncovered on Thursday 12th February when NDLEA officers at the export shed of the Lagos airport intercepted a consignment of compressed block of cocaine, hidden in a sack of Garri which was further packed inside a carton.
“A staff of Dimeji Express Logistics, Adedeji Yusuf Gbolahan, who presented the consignment for export was promptly arrested. Investigations revealed that Olashupo Michael Oladimeji, initiated the trafficking scheme from prison and directed Yusuf to pick the consignment at a location in Oshodi,” Babafemi said.
He added that a similar attempt by a 44-year-old estate surveyor Adelaja Taiwo Adetayo to export 1.70 kilograms of skunk concealed in five jerry cans to the UK, was equally frustrated by NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the Lagos airport. The cargo agent, Mustapha Quddus Opeyemi, who presented the consignment for export, was initially arrested while a follow-up operation led to the arrest of Adelaja at Ahmadiyya area of Lagos on Monday, February 9.
In Abuja, NDLEA operatives on Thursday, February 12, intercepted a waybill package sent from Enugu containing children’s toy guitar. A search of the guitar revealed that it was used to conceal two parcels of Canadian Loud, a strain of Cannabis, weighing 59.2grams. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the owner of the consignment, Henry Onuma, at Dream City Estate, Life Camp.
In Lagos, NDLEA officers on Friday, February 13, raided a 4-bedroom duplex at 2 Alexandria Terrace, Ikate-Elegushi, Lekki, used for the production and storage of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis. The raid followed the seizure of 73 cartons of nitrous oxide at Iyare Motor Park, Ajah–Epe expressway, a consignment intended for Benin City, Edo State. The driver of the vehicle moving the shipment, Amos Innocent, was arrested while Victor Oyedeji was nabbed at the Lekki home where 13.2 kilograms of freshly produced Colos were recovered in addition to precursor chemicals.
A notorious female drug dealer in Ibadan, Oyo State, Oluwayemisi Bunmi, 45, was on Wednesday, February 11, arrested at her enclave in Hope Alakia area of the state capital. Recovered from her include: 1.189kg Colos, skunk; 320grams of methamphetamine; monetary exhibit of ₦2,975,000 and two cars: a Navy blue Toyota Matrix car marked JJJ 629 FQ and a Sky blue Toyota Matrix car with registration number LND 602 AQ.
No fewer than 105,400 pills of tramadol were recovered from a suspect, Kamilu Abdullahi, 43, when his J5 vehicle marked DTM-765XA, was intercepted by NDLEA operatives
at Bode Saadu area of Kwara State on Thursday, February 12.
In Edo State, five suspects: Murtala Mohammed, 37; Abdulkadir Idris Mohammed, 29; Ufoma Edafe, 40; Anthony Aghati, 46; and Emmanuel Owalu Ekele, 39, were arrested on Saturday, February 14, when NDLEA operatives raided the Yoruba Camp, Olumoye Forest, in Ovia North East LGA, where 563.5 kilograms of skunk were recovered.
Across all Commands and formations of the Agency nationwide, NDLEA officers continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitiation activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Anglican Grammar School, Ogbomoso, Oyo State; Government Day Secondary School, Yola, Adamawa State; Government Secondary School, Tudun Gwandara, Lafia, Nasarawa State; Government Girls Technical and Commercial College, Charanchi, Katsina State, and Ajumoni Senior Secondary School, Mushin, Lagos State, among others.
While commending the officers and men of the MAKIA, MMIA, NAIA, Lagos, Edo, Kwara, FCT, and Oyo State Commands for the arrests, seizures and their professionalism, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue the current balanced approach to their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
A Magistrate Court sitting at Nomansland in Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State has ordered the remand of a driver and two others over the alleged theft of jewellery, cash, and a mobile phone belonging to the wife of the 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.
The defendants, Sulaiman Yakubu Kulkude, Idris Musa, and Abdullahi Usaini, were arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, theft and receiving stolen property.
Prosecuting counsel, Barrister Abubakar Ibrahim, told the court that Sulaiman Yakubu, who serves as the driver of the Emir’s wife, unlawfully entered her room and made away with jewellery reportedly valued at N60 million, alongside cash and a mobile phone.
When the charges were read, Sulaiman pleaded guilty to all counts, while the two other defendants pleaded not guilty.
Counsel to the defendants, Barrister A.A. Abdullahi, filed a bail application.
In his ruling, the presiding Magistrate, Halilu Abdurahman, granted bail to the defendants with conditions, including the provision of a surety who must be either a father or brother, a civil servant not below Grade Level 15, and a bail sum of N10 million each.
The case was adjourned to April 14 for further hearing, while the defendants were remanded pending the fulfilment of their bail conditions.
Two adult males have been killed in separate suspected cult-related attacks in Lagos and Ogun States.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the first incident occurred on Saturday around the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, in Yaba, while the second took place in the Magboro area of Ogun State.
The victim in the Akoka incident was reportedly hacked to death after being attacked by about six suspected cultists.
A police source, speaking on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak for the command, described the attack on Tuesday as a suspected reprisal.
“The victim was accosted along the axis leading to the school gate, and what started as a confrontation led to a fight. He was stabbed in the head in the process. It was later discovered that the assailants were suspected cultists,” the source said.
In a video seen by PUNCH Metro on Tuesday, the deceased’s body was lying by the roadside.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the incident, adding that one suspect had been arrested.
“One suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident. Investigation is ongoing,” she said.
In Magboro, PUNCH Metro gathered that the victim in the Gas Line area was a suspected Eiye cult member identified as Cegaga.
According to insiders, he was stabbed to death during a clash involving rival cult groups in the community.
The incident, our correspondents gathered, occurred on Saturday around 11pm, following a disagreement between the deceased and a suspected Buccaneer member identified as Corner over money issues.
A suspected Vikings member, identified as Troup, who was reportedly at the scene, allegedly took sides in the dispute and stabbed the victim.
Residents said the victim’s body was discovered the following morning.
A resident who requested anonymity for security reasons said, “I didn’t witness the clash. I only came back to see that someone had been killed.”
Also speaking, a trader who asked not to be named said, “We had closed for the day.” It happened at midnight, and we only saw the body when we resumed work the next morning.”
It was gathered that tension had heightened in the community due to recurring cult-related violence in recent weeks.
Another resident, who identified himself as Suleiman, told PUNCH Metro on Tuesday that such incidents had become frequent.
He said, “We have been experiencing a series of cult attacks in the area over the past few weeks. The one that happened on Saturday is just one of many incidents.
“We rarely experience situations like this, but it is now becoming regular. We need the intervention of the authorities before it escalates.”
The Ogun State Police Command spokesperson, Oluseyi Babaseyi, could not be reached for comment, as calls to his telephone lines went unanswered.
A text message sent to him had not been replied to at the time of filing this report.
PUNCH Metro had reported on March 3 that two suspected cultists, identified as Monday and Efe, were shot dead in a fresh wave of cult-related violence in the Ojo area of Lagos State.
The operation, disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, followed intelligence on trans-border criminal activities.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a large shipment of cocaine hidden inside the heads of imported dry stockfish and arrested a key member of the syndicate linked to trafficking the drugs abroad.
The operation, disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, followed intelligence on trans-border criminal activities.
Babafemi said the intelligence led to a sting operation by operatives of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Strategic Command of the Agency at the Ojo area of Lagos on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
“In the course of the operation, three jumbo size bags were found in possession of the kingpin 36-year-old Akputa Dickson Ejike.
“A search of the bags led to the recovery of Two Hundred and Thirty-Seven (237) wraps of cocaine buried in the heads of imported dry stock fish locally known as ‘Okporoko.’
“The cocaine pellets have a gross weight of 5.80 kilograms. The consignment was intended for export to Delhi, India,” the statement read.
In a separate operation on Wednesday, March 25, NDLEA operatives from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted two consignments bound for the United Kingdom at a courier company in Lagos.
“In one of the shipments that originated from Cotonou, Benin Republic, 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine were found concealed in automobile filters while the second parcel contains 40 ampoules of Morphine Sulphate and nine ampoules of Fentanyl.”
Babafemi added that on March 26, a Special Operations Unit (SOU) raided the home of 46-year-old Omolade Abigail Jolayemi, known as “Iya Ghana,” at 13 Carter Street, Yaba, Lagos.
She and her associate, 31-year-old Sarah Zainab Agbabiaka, were arrested after operatives recovered 135 blocks of cannabis weighing 76.30 kilograms.
“Same day, the SOU operatives also arrested Anayo Lucky Ohabiro, 39, at Doyin bus stop, Surulere, Lagos following credible intelligence. A total of 78 blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 41kg were seized from him.”
In Ekiti State, the statement added that “an 80-year-old grandpa, Oke Samuel, was on Thursday 26th March arrested by NDLEA operatives during a special raid operation at Mosafuneto camp, Erinmo road, Efon-Alaaye Ekiti. A total of 2.2kg skunk and 1.8grams of methamphetamine were recovered from him.”
Another suspect, 37-year-old Enuwa Kehinde Kingsley, had 894.72 kilograms of skunk seized from an uncompleted building in Ogbese, Akure North, Ondo State.
Elsewhere, 35-year-old Saater Nyam was apprehended at Pevi village, Guma LGA, Benue State, with 116.7 kilograms of skunk on Tuesday, March 24.
In Edo State, a warehouse raid in Ekpoma town, Esan West LGA, on Monday, March 23, led to the arrest of 25-year-old Felix Donald and the seizure of 576.5 kilograms of skunk and 33 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
In Taraba State, Babafemi said NDLEA officers intercepted a truck carrying 100 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 135 kilograms concealed in animal feed bags from Garbachede to Gombe State on Tuesday, March 24.
Two suspects, 21-year-old Osama Mamuda and 22-year-old Auwal Umar, were arrested in connection with the seizure.
Babafemi noted that the agency has also continued its War Against Drug Abuse social advocacy, conducting sensitisation lectures in schools across Cross River, Adamawa, Oyo, Kano, and Lagos states.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), commended operatives from MMIA, SOU, DOGI, Ekiti, Ondo, Benue, Edo, and Taraba Commands for their efforts and praised all commands nationwide for balancing drug supply reduction with drug demand reduction initiatives.
