NDLEA APPREHENDS BUSINESSMAN SMUGGLING 95 COCAINE PELLETS AT KANO AIRPORT
Read Time:3 Minute, 15 Second
By: Muftau Fatimo
A 62-year-old Lagos-based businessman, Nwabueze Izueke, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano State.
Izueke reportedly attempted to traffic 95 jumbo-sized wraps of cocaine, weighing 1.589 kilograms, to China to fund the completion of a house he is building in his village.
According to a statement on Sunday by NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, Izueke was apprehended on Saturday, January 31, 2026, during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940, traveling to China via Addis Ababa.
Babafemi added that NDLEA officials conducted a body scan on Izueke, which revealed that he had ingested illicit drugs.
“While under observation, the suspect, who claims he’s into the clothing and auto spare parts business in Lagos, expelled a total of 95 pellets of the class A drug in seven excretions.
“In his statement, he claimed he decided to engage in illicit drug trafficking to raise enough money to complete the country home he’s building in his village, Iwollo, Enugu state,” the statement partly read.
The arrest, the agency said, formed part of a series of nationwide operations by the NDLEA that led to multiple drug seizures and arrests across several states.
In Abuja, Babafemi said operatives recovered 627.7 kilogrammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis, from a makeshift warehouse at Fums Plaza, Kubwa, while attempts to smuggle methamphetamine concealed in MP3 speakers from Enugu to Abuja and Kaduna were foiled.
He added that four suspects were arrested in connection with the consignments.
“A total of 627.7 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, were recovered from a makeshift warehouse within Fums Plaza in Kubwa, FCT, attempt by Ebube Okeke, Evans Ugwu, Mohammed Eze Arinze and Friday Michael to smuggle consignments of methamphetamine concealed in Mp3 speakers from Enugu to Abuja and Kaduna was on Friday 6th February foiled by NDLEA operatives in Abuja who intercepted the consignments in a bus.
“A follow-up operation in Zuba, FCT, led to the arrest of Ebube Okeke, who is the owner of one of the parcels containing 173grams of meth, while the trio of Evans Ugwu, Mohammed Eze Arinze and Friday Michael were nabbed on Saturday, 7th February in Kaduna, when they showed up to collect the second consignment weighing 28grams of meth,” he said.
In Taraba State, Babafemi said NDLEA officers intercepted a suspect conveying methamphetamine concealed in packs of yoghurt, while in Oyo State, several arrests were made, including that of a drug kingpin operating a facility producing synthetic cannabis.
He added that large quantities of tramadol, skunk, and other illicit substances were also seized in operations spanning Kwara, Imo, Ondo, Lagos, and Enugu states.
In Ibadan, Babafemi said Skunk concealed in rice shafts was uncovered.
He added, “In a separate operation in Ibadan, a suspect, Adeniyi Adeola (aka Prince), was arrested at Foko, Agbeni Market on Wednesday, February 4. Recovered from his truck, marked BDJ 767 YC, were 10,820 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 117,820 capsules of tramadol.
“Also in Ibadan, a drug kingpin, 40-year-old Jimoh Nurudeen, who operates a facility producing Colorado, a synthetic cannabis, was apprehended on Saturday, February 7, in the Badeku area, along with his accomplice, 27-year-old Ogundipe Yusuf. Authorities recovered eight litres of precursor chemicals, 14 grams of skunk, other paraphernalia for Colorado production, ₦7,408,400 in cash, and two vehicles—a Mercedes-Benz SUV (ABC 832 AZ) and a Toyota Highlander (RBC 243 BS).”
In Imo State, Babafemi said a couple was arrested with 203 kilograms of skunk.
He explained, “Izuchukwu Azubuike, 37, and Ifunaya Mmadueke, 32, were apprehended at Umuaka, Njaba, Imo State, with 203kg of skunk on Saturday, February 7. Meanwhile, operatives in Ondo State recovered 420kg of skunk in a bush at Ikun Akoko on Friday, February 6.”
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0