Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended a 74-year-old man, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 11 kilograms of cocaine hidden in food items while travelling to the United Kingdom.
The suspect was intercepted at the airport’s departure hall while attempting to board British Airways flight BA082 bound for Heathrow Airport, London, on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, a search of the suspect’s luggage uncovered blocks of cocaine wrapped in foil papers and balloons and concealed inside food items, including ground dry pepper.
Babafemi said the septuagenarian claimed he was travelling to London for vacation when the illicit drugs were discovered during routine airport checks.
The NDLEA spokesman added that the drugs weighed a total of 11 kilograms and had been carefully packaged in foil papers and balloons before being hidden inside the food items in the suspect’s luggage.
Meanwhile, the agency reported multiple other arrests and seizures in operations carried out across the country.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested a woman identified as Maryam Olalowo at Ikad Hotel and Suites on Etim Inyang Street, Victoria Island, while allegedly attempting to sell 89 grams of cocaine and 20 grams of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis.
Babafemi said the suspect was with her three children, including an infant, at the time of the arrest, which took place in the early hours of Monday, March 9, following credible intelligence.
According to the agency, Olalowo admitted that the illicit drugs belonged to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who was later apprehended the same day. The woman was subsequently released after preliminary investigation.
The NDLEA said Olatunji confessed ownership of the drugs during interrogation, 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.
In another operation on Lagos Island, NDLEA operatives arrested two suspects, Kalilou Simpara and Saidu Ibrahim, after recovering 68,000 tramadol pills loaded in a truck allegedly meant for transportation to Benin Republic.
A follow-up raid at Idumota Market led to the arrest of another suspect, Nnamdi Cyprian, believed to own the consignment. Officers also recovered a parcel containing 1,000 tramadol tablets prepared for waybill delivery from his shop.
During another raid at the same market, operatives arrested Nwanosike Kelvin and recovered 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection.
In separate operations, NDLEA officers arrested Magaji Dan Azumi, 42, with 386 kilograms of skunk in Bebeji, Kano State, and Isah Wako with 282.2 kilograms of the same substance in Gwagwalada, in the Federal Capital Territory.
In Edo State, operatives raided the Egwa Forest Reserve in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, arresting a suspect, Chinedo Odalonu, 33. The agency said 4,218.96 kilograms of skunk were destroyed on two farms during the operation, while 16.5 kilograms were recovered.
At Apapa Seaport in Lagos, NDLEA officers, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service, intercepted 339,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup hidden in two containers placed on a watch list following intelligence reports.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Buba Marwa, commended officers in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, and Edo states for the arrests and seizures recorded over the past week, urging them to sustain efforts aimed at reducing both the supply and demand of illicit drugs in the country.
