The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a previously convicted drug trafficker and three other suspects following the interception of a cocaine consignment concealed in sealed sachets of liquid starch bound for the United Kingdom through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the agency’s spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, said NDLEA operatives uncovered 75 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.5 kilogrammes at the airport’s export shed.
He disclosed that three freight agents — Jubrin Hassana, Kuku Oluwasegun and Igwe Jane — were arrested on Saturday, December 20, 2025, while processing the illicit shipment for export.
According to Babafemi, further investigation led to the identification of a 37-year-old man, Nwobodo Chidiebere, as the coordinator of the consignment. He was subsequently arrested the following day at a relaxation centre in Ikeja, Lagos.
NDLEA records, Babafemi said, revealed that Nwobodo was convicted in 2023 for trafficking 30.1 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in powdered custard containers and destined for the UK. He was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment with an option of a ₦7 million fine, which he paid before allegedly returning to drug trafficking activities.
In separate operations across the country, NDLEA operatives recorded significant seizures of cannabis and other illicit substances. In Ekiti State, officers dismantled cannabis warehouses in the Ara Forest, recovering 638 kilogrammes of skunk. In Edo State, 1,205 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 883.1 kilogrammes were intercepted from three vehicles along the Igara–Auchi Road.
In Cross River State, raids in Yakurr Local Government Area led to the arrest of three suspects and the seizure of over 900 kilogrammes of skunk. Another suspect, a woman, was arrested along the Abaji–Abuja Expressway with 38 kilogrammes of the substance while travelling from Edo State.
In Lagos State, multiple arrests were recorded, including the seizure of over 60 kilogrammes of skunk from two suspects in the Badagry and Agbara areas. In Taraba State, two men were apprehended in Takum with 48 kilogrammes of cannabis. Meanwhile, in Gombe State, a 65-year-old driver was arrested along the Gombe–Biu Highway with large quantities of tramadol, pentazocine injections and other opioids allegedly destined for Borno State.
Babafemi also confirmed the arrest of a 47-year-old businessman, Ignatius Egbochie, popularly known as “Brown,” who was wanted in connection with the earlier seizure of 26 kilogrammes of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, intercepted at the Tincan Seaport in Lagos.
The NDLEA, he added, continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns nationwide, engaging students, teachers, worshippers and community members in states including Anambra, Katsina and Kogi.
Commending the officers involved in the operations, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised their dedication and urged personnel across all commands to remain vigilant and uphold professionalism during the festive season and beyond.
