Crime
PHOTOS: NDLEA Arrests 74-Year Old Man With Large Consignment Of Cocaine At Abuja Airport
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 74-year-old grandpa, identified as Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, after a large consignment of cocaine was discovered in foil papers and balloons concealed in his luggage.
It was reports that the NDLEA Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in a statement issued on Sunday, disclosed that its operatives at the departure hall of the Abuja airport arrested Emeka while attempting to board a British Airways flight BA082 to Heathrow, London, United Kingdom, on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
During a search of the septuagenarian’s luggage, blocks of cocaine weighing 11 kilograms were discovered concealed inside food items, including ground dry pepper, carefully wrapped in foil papers and balloons.
The statement further disclosed that in Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence in the early hours of Monday, March 9, arrested a woman, identified as Maryam Olalowo, at Ikad Hotel and Suites, on Etim Inyang Street, Victoria Island, while attempting to sell 89grams of cocaine and 20grams of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis.
“She was found with her three children, including an infant, at the time of the arrest. She confessed the illicit drugs belong to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who was later taken into custody same day while his wife was immediately set free.
“Ibrahim confirmed ownership of the illicit drugs in his statement, while further investigation revealed that he had previously been arrested, convicted, and sentenced to two and a half years’ imprisonment for a similar offence in 2015.”
Also, NDLEA operatives, in another interdiction operation, arrested two suspects: Kalilou Simpara and Saidu Ibrahim at Ebetu Ero, Lagos Island, where they recovered 68,000 pills of tramadol 250mg and 225mg after they had loaded the exhibits into their truck and were preparing to transport them to the Benin Republic on Monday, March 9.
A follow-up operation was conducted on Wednesday, March 11, at the Idumota market on Lagos Island, where the actual owner of the consignment, Nnamdi Cyprian, was arrested.
The statement stressed, “A search of his shop led to the discovery of a parcel already prepared for waybill delivery, containing 1,000 tablets of tramadol 250mg. Another raid at Idumota market on Friday, March 13, led to the arrest of Nwanosike Kelvin and the recovery of 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection from his shop.
“While a 42-year-old Magaji Dan Azumi was arrested at Bebeji area of Kano with 386kg skunk on Tuesday, March 10, NDLEA officers in Abuja recovered 282.2kg skunk from a suspect, Isah Wako, 42, in Gwagwalada area of the FCT on Friday, March 13.”
The NDLEA operatives also raided the Egwa forest reserve in Aduan village, Orhionmwon LGA, in Edo State, where a 33-year-old suspect, Chinedo Odalonu, 33, was apprehended and a total of 4,218.96kg of skunk was destroyed on two farms, with 16.5kg of the same substance recovered.
The statement further stated that no fewer than 339,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup were intercepted in two containers at the Apapa seaport in Lagos on Saturday, March 14, during a joint examination of the shipments by NDLEA officers, men of Customs and other security agencies.
The agency noted that the containers had earlier been watch-listed by NDLEA following credible intelligence on concealment of opioids in them.
While commending the officers and men of NAIA, Lagos, Kano, Edo and FCT Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
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Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have dismantled a major drug trafficking syndicate following a three-week intelligence-led operation that led to the interception of cocaine consignments hidden in tins of palm kernel extract and the arrest of the cartel’s kingpin.
The agency said the illicit consignments were destined for the United Kingdom, with the syndicate employing sophisticated concealment methods to evade detection.
The breakthrough began on March 11, 2026, when NDLEA officers attached to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Strategic Command in Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted 3.10 kilograms of cocaine at the export shed.
The drugs were carefully concealed inside tins of palm kernel extract prepared for shipment abroad.
According to a statement by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, two suspects linked to the shipment—Idris Olayiwola Amoo and Akinlami Akinsoji Adedoyin, were immediately arrested.
Babafemi said a follow-up sting operation on April 2 led to the arrest of the sender of the consignment, identified as Ezemuwo Joel, who allegedly operated under a false identity, Ajayi.
Investigations from his arrest led operatives to the syndicate’s leader, 52-year-old King Arinze, who was tracked to a hideout in the Isolo area of Lagos.
He was subsequently taken to his warehouse located at 11, Ola Ifa Street, Bucknor, Isolo, where operatives uncovered extensive evidence of drug concealment operations.
Items recovered from the warehouse included 886 tins of palm kernel extract prepared for drug concealment, industrial sealing machines, tin openers, paint sprays, 52 grams of cannabis sativa, and a pack of hand gloves.
The suspect reportedly confessed to personally draining the oil from the tins to hide cocaine consignments.
In a related operation in Borno State, NDLEA operatives arrested a 28-year-old woman, Aisha Adamu, along the Gamboru Ngala road with 4.3 kilograms of Colorado, a potent synthetic strain of cannabis. She was suspected to be supplying drugs to bandit groups operating in the North-East and neighbouring Chad.
In Lagos, a pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ, Agonvi Sea Beach, Sakpo area of Seme border, Pastor Afolabi Hodonu, 45, and his wife, Success Hodonu, 35, were arrested at the Gbaji checkpoint.
A search of their Honda Pilot SUV led to the discovery of 11 kilograms of skunk concealed in hidden compartments.
Their arrest followed the earlier apprehension of a suspected fake security agent, Sunday Samuel, who was caught transporting 24.5 kilograms of skunk along the same route.
In Adamawa State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a trailer conveying 48,000 tramadol pills along Namtari road in Yola South, leading to the arrest of the driver, Abdulaziz Ismail Korede, and the intended recipient, Idris Adamu.
In Osun State, a 60-year-old woman, Idiatu Oladejo, was arrested with 15 kilograms of skunk in Isale Osun, Osogbo.
Operatives also raided the Itaogbolu forest in Akure, Ondo State, recovering 351 kilograms of skunk and its seeds.
In Benue State, 28,600 tramadol capsules were seized from a 66-year-old suspect, Aminu Usman Gembu, at Aliade.
Meanwhile, in Edo State, NDLEA operatives raided a warehouse in Egbanke community, Orhionmwon Local Government Area, where 1,378 kilograms of skunk were recovered, leading to the arrest of one Roland Owie.
Drug Dealer Used Daughter For Distribution
It was reports that in Oyo State, a notorious drug dealer, Ayantola Omodunmomi, also known as “Iya Elle,” was arrested in Ibadan following intelligence reports.
The agency alleged that she used her 11-year-old daughter, Anjola, to distribute illicit drugs to customers.
At the time of her arrest, 45.6 kilograms of skunk were recovered from her residence.
The agency said its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaign continued nationwide, with outreach programmes held in schools across Oyo, Lagos, Kano, Anambra and Zamfara states.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers across various commands for the successful operations.
“These successful operations are a testament to the Agency’s evolving intelligence capabilities and our unwavering commitment to choking the supply lines of drug cartels,” he said.
“Whether they hide behind legitimate businesses, religious titles, or complex concealment methods, we will find them.”
The agency reiterated its commitment to sustaining a balance between reducing drug supply and curbing demand, warning that traffickers would continue to face intensified enforcement actions nationwide.
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The Nigerian Navy has successfully rescued a kidnapped victim, Mr Benedict Eze, in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, following sustained security operations by personnel of Forward Operating Base (FOB) BONNY.
Navy Captain AA Folorunsho, Director Naval Information, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, April 3, 2026.
“The victim, who was abducted on 23 March 2026 at Aganya Community, was rescued by naval personnel at Coconut Jetty after he was abandoned by his captors around the Opuoma waterside due to intensified operational pressure since the incident was first reported with sustained intelligence-led patrols,technological enablers, as well as coordinated action on land and around the creeks to block any possible escape routes,” the statement read.
“The sustained action mounted by security forces during the search efforts eventually paid off with the abandonment of the kidnap victim.
“He was subsequently evacuated to the Naval Base medical facility for evaluation and debriefing and was safely reunited with his family.
“The recovery highlights the effectiveness of coordinated maritime and land-based security operations conducted by the Nigerian Navy in collaboration with other security agencies to deny criminal elements freedom of movement within the Bonny–Port Harcourt waterways and adjoining creeks.
“The development also aligns with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, to intensify operational efforts against criminal activities within the maritime domain.
“The Nigerian Navy remains resolute in sustaining proactive patrols and intelligence-driven operations to enhance security, protect lives and property, and bring perpetrators of criminal acts to justice.”
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A Nigerian woman was arrested with 7.5 gram of cocaine, worth approximately Rs 2.35 lakh, in India.
The accused identified as James Tesling Yamyunal, was nabbed by the Drugs Task Force (DTF) in Secunderabad on Friday, April 3, 2026 after she was caught carrying the drugs which she had brought from Mumbai.
Yamyunal, was intercepted near Sunshine Hospital in the Paradise area of Secunderabad after the DTF received a tip-off that a Nigerian national was travelling from Mumbai to Hyderabad with drugs.
Investigation revealed that the accused had procured the cocaine in Mumbai at Rs 15,000 per gram and was planning to sell it in Hyderabad at Rs 30,000 per gram, double the purchase price.
The accused was handed over to the Secunderabad Excise Station for further proceedings
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