NDLEA apprehends business woman with cocaine parcels at airport, Lagos

Operatives of The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA have arrested a 38 year old China-bound businesswoman, Iwebema Ogechi Peace for cocaine possession on the 21st of June, 2026 at the Muritala Muhammad International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

Her arrest followed an operation by the agency based on credible intelligence leading to the discovery of four large cocaine parcels hidden in a false bottom compartment of her bag that was created professionally.

The culprit, who claims to be a business woman who travels to China to buy goods for resale in Nigeria was headed to Beijing, China, aboard a Qatar Airways plane. She was apprehended at the Departure hall in terminal 2 of the Muritala Muhammad Airport, searched and discovered to have a total of 7.5 kilograms of cocaine in her possession.

This followed other operations by the agency, according to the statement of the NDLEA director, media and advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

Another Lagos operation led to the arrest of Helen Ese Idiji, 40 and Rashidat Sa’adullah, 53 on the 15th of June at Olomokun Street, Amukoko for the possession of 28.8 kilograms of skunk that was recovered from them. Investigation revealed that Helen, the principal suspect stores her illicit consignment with Rashidat, from where she distributes to her customers.

Hossou Tito Julien, 30, Mancellim Dossou, 19, two nationals of Benin Republic and Jackson ThankGod, a Nigerian have also been arrested on the 21st of June by NDLEA operatives based on credible intelligence. Their truck conveying Five Hundred and Fifty-Eight Thousand Nine Hundred (558,900) pills of Tramadol 250mg in a fabricated compartment of the truck was intercepted on Mile 2 bridge.

Lagos was also the location for another successful operation carried out on the 23rd of June, 2026. The operation led to a joint team of the NDLEA Apapa Strategic Command, Customs service, other agencies as well as port stakeholders at the Apapa complex recovering a shipment with a container of illicit drugs weighing 4,959 kilograms and worth Twelve Billion, Three Hundred and Ninety-Seven Million and Five Hundred Thousand Naira (12,397,500,000) in street value. It contained 195 big sacks of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of Cannabis from Toronto, Canada. Ths operation is as a result of over a month of tracking and monitoring the container by operatives of two Special units of NDLEA.

In the same vein, two suspects, Lucky Abonga and Osas Azamobo were arrested along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on the 26th of June, in the process of transporting 118kg of skunk in the midst of other legitimate goods in a truck. The truck was headed to Onitsha, Anambra State from Ebute Ero area in Lagos.

In another operation in Lagos, by the Special Operations Unit Of NDLEA on the 27th of June, 57-year-old Ikechuckwu Uwakwe was arrested based on credible intelligence at a motor park in Iddo with Scottish Loud, a strong strain of Cannabis weighing 209.50kg. The illicit drug was being transported to Enugu when it was intercepted.

The Agency’s Commands and formations across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities across schools, worship centres, workplaces, communities among others in the past week.

Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), the Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA commended the officers and men of the MMIA, SOUs, Apapa, FCT, Anambra and Lagos Commands of the Agency for the arrests and siezures. He also noted that the WADA sensitization activities balanced with the drug supply reduction efforts, commended them and urged their colleagues across the country to maintain unwavering commitment in the fight against illicit drugs.