Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Nwankwo Innocent Onyebuchi, with 1.550 kilograms of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The arrest formed part of a series of NDLEA drug seizures recorded across several states in the past week. Onyebuchi was arrested at Terminal II while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi, India, with the cocaine concealed inside the side walls and railings of his check-in bag.
According to the NDLEA, Onyebuchi, who deals in marbles in Lagos, confessed that he had sold his marble business and other assets to raise ₦23 million for the consignment. He reportedly expected to sell the cocaine in India for as much as N100 million. NDLEA said, “Nwankwo, who deals in marbles in Lagos, was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal II of the Lagos airport while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi, India.
“A search of his check-in bag uncovered 1.550 kilograms of cocaine factory-fitted in the walls and railings of his bag.”
The agency also reported the recovery of 3,776 cartons containing 377,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup from a warehouse at 20 Hakeem Dosumu Street, Ago Palace area of Okota, Lagos. The controlled substance, recovered between Friday 7th and Saturday 8th August 2026, was valued at over N2.6 billion.
In another operation, NDLEA operatives raided the residence of 55-year-old Shoremi Kayode at 37 Ogundare Street, Ipaja Estate, Lagos, recovering 324 kilograms of Colorado, with a reported street value of N972 million. A Mercedes-Benz and Toyota Corolla were also recovered.
Other NDLEA drug seizures included 55.96kg of skunk recovered in Ilorin from Abubakar Adamu, 50, and Bilyaminu Nuhu, 30. Along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in Ibadan, officers recovered 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection from a Toyota Sienna linked to Abdulfatai Oyelaran, 70, and Abdulrauf Ajadi, 50.
In Kano, six suspects were arrested with 728,958 pills of tramadol, rohypnol and other opioids, alongside 360 grams of cocaine, 99.8 grams of methamphetamine, 50 bottles of codeine syrup and 2.7 kilograms of Loud. The agency also reported cannabis seizures and destruction of 4,628.9775kg of skunk on two farms covering 1.851591 hectares in Edo State.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers across the affected commands and praised their efforts in balancing drug supply reduction with demand reduction through enforcement and War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy activities.
