NDLEA Discovers 5kg of Cocaine at Lagos Airport, Captures Brothers Heading to India and Breaks Up Nationwide Drug Rings
Emamuzo Iboma
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested two brothers, John Abugu, 43, and Kenneth Abugu, 31, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, for attempting to smuggle 5kg of cocaine concealed in their suitcases.
The arrest occurred on Thursday, April 3, 2025, following actionable intelligence gathered by the agency’s Special Operations Unit. According to NDLEA, the brothers claimed they were traveling to India for medical treatment.
However, a thorough search of their luggage revealed whitish powdery substances hidden in the walls of their bags, which were later confirmed to be cocaine.
In a related development on the same day, Parker Darren Hazekia Osei, a 20-year-old Ghanaian-British national, was intercepted at the E-arrival hall of MMIA with 36 parcels of Loud, a potent cannabis strain, weighing 19.40kg. The illegal substance was packed inside a large traveling bag.
The suspect claimed to be a Computer Science student at East London University, UK, and said he resides with his parents in the UK. In his statement, he explained:
“I left London about a week ago for Bangkok, where I picked up the illicit drug consignment to deliver in Nigeria.”
In Kogi State, NDLEA operatives arrested Ngozi Ogili, 33, who was caught transporting 3kg of methamphetamine from Lagos to Abuja in a commercial bus on March 31, 2025, along the Okene-Lokoja highway.
A follow-up operation in the Apo Mechanic area of Abuja led to the seizure of quantities of Loud and Colorado, both synthetic cannabis variants.
In Abia State, a 75-year-old grandfather, Nna Nnanna Felix, was arrested on Saturday, April 5, with 1.6kg of skunk in Umunteke Asa, Ukwa West LGA. Additionally, on Tuesday, April 1, David Chinemerem, 21, was caught with 2,050 ampoules of pentazocine at 7 Nnajiego Lane, Umuode Road, Aba.
In Yobe State, 381 bottles of codeine syrup and 108 tablets of tramadol were recovered from Abdullahi Adamu along the Potiskum-Damaturu road on April 5.
Raids in Osogbo motor park, Onitsha, and Oba in Idemili LGA of Anambra led to the arrest of Obinna Sunday and the seizure of 195,000 tramadol pills. Another suspect, Ugochukwu Ojalanonye, was caught with 4.2kg of codeine syrup and 5.4kg of pentazocine.
On Friday, April 4, a combined team of NDLEA operatives and the Nigerian Army raided Esuk-Odot community in Odukpani LGA of Cross River State, destroying over 250,000kg of cannabis cultivated across 100 hectares of farmland. Two women, Faith Effiong Etim, 64, and Victoria Asuquo Etim, 40, were arrested during the operation.
In FCT Abuja, NDLEA officers arrested Sunday Ayogu, 51, at Wuse market on April 3, with 25kg of skunk and 90.4g of methamphetamine.
WADA Sensitization Campaigns Continue
NDLEA formations across Nigeria intensified their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign through sensitization activities. These included educational lectures at Cave City Secondary School, Ogidi (Anambra), outreach to Dan’iyau village in Batagarawa LGA (Katsina), and engagement with the Nigerian Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers in Sangere and Kwanan Waya (Yola, Adamawa).
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, lauded the agency’s personnel for their coordinated efforts across the country.
“Their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country, especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts, are well appreciated,” he said
