NDLEA Arrests India-Bound Businessman With Cocaine, Recovers N3.6bn Drugs

70-year-old grandpa nabbed with 52,000 pentazocine, 6,000 tramadol injections

By Adebola Muili

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Nwankwo Innocent Onyebuchi, with 1.55 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in the walls and railings of his travel bag at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

Onyebuchi, a marble dealer in Lagos, was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal II of the airport while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi, India.

The NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, August 16, 2026, saying a search of the suspect’s check-in luggage uncovered the cocaine factory-fitted into its walls and railings.

According to Babafemi, the suspect confessed that he had sold his marble business and other assets to raise N23 million to purchase the consignment, which he expected to sell in India for as much as N100 million.

“In a candid confession that lays bare the desperation that fuels the drug trade, Nwankwo said he had sold off his marble business and every asset he owned to raise the N23 million he paid for the consignment, with the expectation of selling it in India for as much as N100 million,” Babafemi said.

The agency said the suspect remained in custody awaiting prosecution.

In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence raided a warehouse at 20 Hakeem Dosumu Street, Ago Palace area of Okota, where they recovered 3,776 cartons containing 377,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup valued at over N2.6 billion.

The agency also raided the residence of a 55-year-old suspected drug kingpin, Shoremi Kayode, at 37 Ogundare Street, Ipaja Estate, Ipaja, Lagos, recovering 324 kilogrammes of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, valued at N972 million.

A Mercedes-Benz and a Toyota Corolla were also recovered from the suspect.

Meanwhile, the NDLEA reported arrests and seizures in Kwara, Oyo, Delta, Plateau, Kano and Edo states as part of its intensified operations against illicit drugs.

In Kwara State, Abubakar Adamu, 50, and Bilyaminu Nuhu, 30, were arrested at Kam Wire area of Ilorin with 55.96kg of skunk concealed in a truck.

In Oyo State, a 70-year-old suspect, Abdulfatai Oyelaran, and Abdulrauf Ajadi, 50, were arrested along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on August 12.

Recovered from their Toyota Sienna vehicle were 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection.

In Delta State, NDLEA operatives recovered 124,100 pills of tramadol, 786 bottles of codeine syrup, 2,598 tablets of rohypnol, 4,800 tablets of diazepam, 470 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 200 ampoules of tramadol injection from two suspects, Osaro Ikpoba, 43, and Samuel Godbless, 18.

Another suspect, Emeka Tony, 50, was arrested along the Kwale-Ozoro Expressway with 1,244 cartridges and N8 million cash.

In Plateau State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a Toyota Corolla along the Riyom-Jos Road and recovered 239,490 capsules of Tramaforce, a brand of tramadol. A suspect, Kasum Sherif, was arrested in connection with the seizure.

In Kano State, six suspects were arrested along the Zaria-Kano Road on August 10.

The suspects were identified as Okodili Ibeabuchi, 60; Onyeka Vincent, 47; Nwanko Wisdom, 36; Success Chigozie, 30; Emmanuel Jude, 27; and Chinedu Peter, 39.

The agency said 728,958 pills of tramadol, rohypnol and other opioids, 360 grammes of cocaine, 99.8 grammes of methamphetamine, 50 bottles of codeine syrup and 2.7 kilogrammes of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, were recovered.

Also in Kano, NDLEA operatives raided Zawaciki Gida Dubu, Kumbotso Local Government Area, on August 14, recovering 171 blocks of skunk weighing 106.8kg.

Two suspects, Mustapha Iliya, 30, and Abdulwahab Abdulrashid, 24, were arrested in connection with the seizure.

In Edo State, the agency said 4,628.9775kg of skunk was destroyed from two cannabis farms measuring 1.851591 hectares at Ugboku/Igbanke forest in Orhionmwon Local Government Area.

A suspect, Agholor Elebojie, 40, was arrested during the raid, while another suspect, Kingsley Anigala, 28, was arrested in Benin City with 25.857kg of Loud and 93 grammes of methamphetamine.

The NDLEA also said its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy activities continued across the country, including sensitisation lectures for students and staff of schools in Kano and Lagos.

Babafemi said the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers and personnel of the MMIA, Lagos, Kano, Kwara, Edo, Plateau, Oyo and Delta commands for the arrests and seizures.

Marwa also praised personnel across the country for maintaining a balance between drug supply reduction and demand reduction efforts.