A 30-year-old Italy-based Nigerian businessman, Joseph Cyril, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after allegedly ingesting 98 wraps of cocaine in an attempt to smuggle the drug out of Nigeria through the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
Cyril was arrested on Sunday, August 2, 2026, during the outward clearance of passengers aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET930, which was scheduled to take him to Italy via Addis Ababa and France.
Following his arrest, the suspect was placed under excretion observation by NDLEA operatives and subsequently expelled all 98 wraps containing cocaine, with a combined weight of 1.510 kilogrammes.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement that investigations revealed that Cyril arrived in Nigeria from Italy on July 13 and allegedly ingested the cocaine at a hotel in Awka, Anambra State, before travelling to Enugu to catch his flight back to Europe.
The suspect reportedly told investigators that he had been doing business in Italy for several years but agreed to traffic the consignment for €3,500, allegedly to raise funds to relocate to Germany, where members of his family reside.
The Enugu arrest was among several major drug interdictions recorded by the NDLEA across the country as the agency intensified its crackdown on international trafficking networks and domestic drug distribution.
In Lagos, operatives foiled attempts to export 1.2kg of cocaine to Saudi Arabia after discovering the substance concealed in 25 phone chargers at a courier company.
Another 500 grammes of cocaine destined for Italy was intercepted after NDLEA officers found the drug hidden inside the false bottom of a backpack at a logistics company.
The agency also intercepted 2.3kg of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, allegedly imported from the United States through a shipping company in Lagos.
In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a truck along the Akure-Ilesha Expressway carrying 1,633kg of skunk concealed among bags of rice shafts. Two suspects, Buba Jamilu, 40, and Sanusi Ibrahim, 30, were arrested.
The seizure came barely a day after officers raided the Ita Ogbolu forest in Ondo State, recovering another 147kg of skunk.
In Oyo State, operatives acting on intelligence raided a suspected drug warehouse at Elebure village in Orire Local Government Area, where they seized 731.03kg of skunk and arrested a 57-year-old suspect, Felicia Thompson. Her alleged accomplice, Thompson Nwaka, remains at large.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives, supported by soldiers, recovered 65 jumbo bags of skunk weighing 604.5kg during an operation at Ewe Luleha in Owan West Local Government Area.
Meanwhile, in Abia State, operatives arrested 31-year-old Chibuike Charles during a raid on a suspected drug joint at Samec by Powerline Base in Osisioma Local Government Area, recovering about 7kg of skunk.
In Lagos, the agency also arrested a wanted drug dealer, Adome Sikuru, at the Fibre Market drug enclave in Badagry following a three-month manhunt. Officers recovered 88.5kg of skunk from him.
At the Tin Can Island Port Complex, NDLEA operatives, working with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies, intercepted a 40-foot container containing cannabis-infused edibles during a joint examination.
The consignment comprised 73 cartons containing 442 packets of cannabis-infused cookies and gummies weighing 309.4kg. A suspect, Larry Nnaji, was arrested in connection with the shipment.
The series of operations highlighted the increasingly sophisticated methods allegedly employed by drug trafficking networks, including concealment of cocaine in consumer products, false-bottom luggage, body ingestion and the transportation of large cannabis consignments through road, logistics and maritime channels.
Beyond drug interdiction and arrests, the NDLEA said its commands and formations continued to intensify its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, religious institutions, workplaces and communities.
Commending personnel involved in the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), urged officers to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control, combining supply reduction with demand-reduction initiatives.
