A 74- year old grandfather, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja after a large consignment of cocaine was found in foil papers and balloons in his luggage.
Emeka, who said he was travelling to London, United Kingdom for vacation, was stopped while attempting to board a British Airways flight BA082 to Heathrow on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
“During a search of his luggage, blocks of cocaine weighing 11 kilogrammes were discovered concealed inside food items, including ground dry pepper, carefully wrapped in foil papers and balloons,” the NDLEA said in a statement issued by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday.
Also, according to the statement, in Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested a woman, Mrs. Maryam Olalowo, at Ikad Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, on Monday, March 9, after she attempted to sell 89 grammes of cocaine and 20 grammes of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis.
She was found with her three children, including an infant.
“She confessed that 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,” the agency said.
“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.”
The NDLEA also arrested two men, Kalilou Simpara and Saidu Ibrahim, at Ebute Ero, Lagos Island, after they had loaded 68,000 pills of tramadol 250mg and 225mg into a truck for transport to Benin Republic on Monday, March 9.
A follow-up operation at Idumota market on Wednesday, March 11, led to the arrest of the consignment owner, Nnamdi Cyprian.
Officers discovered a parcel prepared for waybill delivery containing 1,000 tablets of tramadol 250mg.
According to the organisation, another raid at Idumota market on Friday, March 13, resulted in the arrest of Nwanosike Kelvin and the recovery of 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection from his shop.
In Kano, a 42-year old man, Magaji Dan Azumi, was arrested in Bebeji with 386kg of skunk on Tuesday, March 10.
NDLEA officers in Abuja also recovered 282.2kg of skunk from Isah Wako, 42, in Gwagwalada, FCT, on Friday, March 13.
NDLEA said that in Edo State, its operatives raided the Egwa forest reserve in Aduan village, Orhionmwon Local Government Area, where 33-year old Chinedo Odalonu was apprehended. They destroyed 4,218.96kg of skunk on two farms and recovered 16.5kg.
It also said that at Apapa seaport in Lagos on Saturday, March 14, NDLEA, Customs, and other security agencies intercepted 339,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup in two containers.
The containers had earlier been on the watch-list following credible intelligence on concealment of opioids.
