NDLEA arrests businessman with N23m cocaine at Lagos airport

Authorities have arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Nwankwo Onyebuchi, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos for attempting to smuggle 1.55 kilograms of cocaine. The drugs were discovered concealed within the walls and railings of his luggage as he prepared to board a Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi, India.

According to Femi Babafemi, the Director of Media and Advocacy for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Onyebuchi confessed that he had liquidated his marble business and sold off all his assets to raise the N23 million required to purchase the cocaine consignment. He anticipated a profit of up to N100 million upon selling the drugs in India.

In parallel operations, the NDLEA uncovered a substantial stockpile of codeine-based syrup in a warehouse in the Ago Palace area of Okota, Lagos. The seizure included 3,776 cartons, totaling 377,600 bottles, with an estimated street value exceeding N2.6 billion. These raids occurred between August 7th and 8th, 2026.

Furthermore, an intelligence-led operation on August 14th targeted the residence of a suspected drug kingpin, Shoremi Kayode, in Ipaja, Lagos. Officers recovered 324 kilograms of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis strain, valued at N972 million. Two vehicles, a Mercedes-Benz and a Toyota Corolla, were also seized from the suspect.

The NDLEA also reported significant drug seizures and arrests in multiple other states, including Kwara, Oyo, Delta, Plateau, Kano, and Edo. These operations underscore the ongoing efforts by Nigerian authorities to combat drug trafficking and the illicit trade in controlled substances across the country.

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In a candid confession that lays bare the desperation that fuels the drug trade, Nwankwo said he had sold off his marble business and every asset he owned to raise the N23m he paid for the consignment, with the expectation of selling it in India for as much as N100m.