The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 52-year-old businessman, Ejiofor Godwin Emeka, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) for attempting to smuggle 127 wraps of cocaine into Nigeria.
Emeka, who owns clothing shops in Lagos and Onitsha, was caught after arriving from Bangkok, Thailand, via Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 941 on October 8, 2025. NDLEA officers subjected him to a body scan which revealed suspicious foreign objects inside his body.
According to a statement released on Sunday, October 12, by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, further investigation confirmed that Emeka had concealed the cocaine — weighing 1.388 kilograms — inside his stomach and private parts. He was placed under close monitoring until he excreted some of the drug pellets, confirming the agency’s suspicion of internal concealment.
“This arrest shows how desperate drug traffickers have become, but our officers remain vigilant and committed to stopping them,” Babafemi said.
In a separate development, NDLEA operatives in Lagos uncovered three international drug shipments headed for the United Kingdom. The drugs were found hidden in parcels processed at a courier company.
The intercepted parcels contained methamphetamine, tramadol, pentazocine, and cannabis, all cleverly disguised in items such as glass ceramics, vitamin bottles, and herbal product packs. The agency arrested suspects linked to the courier operation, including a freight agent and a cab driver involved in another shipment of rohypnol pills destined for South Africa.
“These attempts to smuggle drugs through air and courier channels clearly show that traffickers are using various methods, but we are determined to dismantle these criminal networks,” Babafemi said.
Elsewhere across the country, NDLEA officers continued operations targeting local drug dealers and traffickers. In Edo State, 47 kilograms of skunk were recovered during a raid in Ugbekpe Ekperi. In Osun State, two suspects were caught transporting 635 kilograms of skunk hidden inside a vehicle.
In Rivers State, NDLEA operatives seized 8.5 kilograms of cannabis, while a man was arrested in Katsina with 29.5 kilograms of the same drug.
The NDLEA said the arrests and seizures are part of its ongoing national crackdown on drug trafficking and abuse. The agency has increased its surveillance and intelligence-gathering capacity in both urban and rural areas.
Chairman of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd), has consistently maintained a tough stance on drug trafficking, warning that traffickers will face the full force of the law. He recently urged communities to support the agency’s efforts by reporting suspicious movements and hiding places used by drug dealers.
With Nigeria remaining a key target for international drug cartels, NDLEA says it will continue to work with foreign and local partners to block supply chains and bring traffickers to justice.
