Enugu, Aug. 9, 2026: The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 30-year-old Italy-based businessman, Joseph Cyril, for ingesting 98 wraps of cocaine at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA), Enugu.
Mr Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Babafemi said Cyril was arrested on Aug. 2 at the departure hall of the airport during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET930.
He said the suspect was subsequently placed under excretion observation, during which he excreted 98 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.510 kilogrammes.
According to him, investigations showed that Cyril arrived in Nigeria from Italy on July 13 and ingested the consignment in a hotel in Awka, Anambra.
He said the suspect was heading to Italy through Addis Ababa and France when he was arrested.
Babafemi quoted Cyril as saying that he had been doing business in Italy for years before agreeing to traffic the consignment for 3,500 euros.
He said the suspect claimed he wanted to raise money to relocate to Germany, where his family was based.
Babafemi said operatives also intercepted 1.2 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in 25 phone chargers at a courier company in Lagos.
He said the consignment was being prepared for export to Saudi Arabia.
He added that another 500 grammes of cocaine concealed in the false bottom of a backpack and destined for Italy was intercepted at another logistics company on Aug. 3.
Similarly, 2.3 kilogrammes of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, coming from the United States was intercepted at another shipping company in Lagos on Aug. 4.
The spokesman said NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Akure-Ilesha Expressway intercepted a truck conveying 1,633 kilogrammes of skunk concealed in bags of rice shafts.
He said the seizure was made on Aug. 4 and two suspects, Buba Jamilu, 40, and Sanusi Ibrahim, 30, were arrested.
Babafemi said 147 kilogrammes of skunk were also recovered from Ita Ogbolu Forest during a raid on Aug. 3.
In Oyo, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence raided a drug warehouse at Elebure Village, Orire Local Government Area, on Aug. 3.
He said the operation led to the recovery of 731.03 kilogrammes of cannabis and the arrest of Felicia Thompson, 57.
According to him, Thompson’s alleged partner, Thompson Vincent Nwaka, is still at large.
In Edo, NDLEA operatives, supported by soldiers, recovered 65 jumbo bags of skunk weighing 604.5 kilogrammes at Ewe Luleha, Owan West Local Government Area, on Aug. 5.
Babafemi said a drug joint operator, Chibuike Charles, 31, was arrested during a raid at Samec by Powerline Base in Osisioma Local Government Area of Abia on Aug. 6.
He said seven kilogrammes of skunk were recovered during the operation.
He added that a wanted drug dealer, Adome Claude Sikuru, was arrested at the Fibre Market drug jungle in Badagry, Lagos, on Aug. 8 after a three-month manhunt.
Babafemi said 88.5 kilogrammes of skunk were recovered from Sikuru at the time of his arrest.
The spokesman said NDLEA operatives, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies, also discovered 73 cartons containing 442 packets of cannabis-infused cookies and gummies.
He said the items, weighing 309.4 kilogrammes, were discovered on Aug. 4 during the examination of a 40-foot container at the Tin Can Island Port Complex, Lagos.
Babafemi said a suspect, Larry Nnaji, had been arrested in connection with the seizure.
He said NDLEA commands and formations across the country also sustained their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities during the week.
According to him, the activities covered schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.
He listed some of the beneficiaries of the campaigns as Islamic High School, Saki, Oyo; Holy Ghost Academy, Nkpor, Anambra; and Madarasatul Hidayatul Aulad Islamiyya, Gaya, Kano.
He said the Rivers Command also paid a WADA advocacy visit to the management of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), commended officers and men of the DOGI, AIIA, Ondo, Oyo, Edo, Abia, Seme and Tin Can commands for their successful operations.
Marwa urged them and their colleagues across the country to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control.
