NDLEA arrests India-bound businessman with cocaine, recovers N3.6bn drugs in Lagos The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Nwankwo Innocent Onyebuchi, who attempted to travel to New Delhi, India, with 1.550 kilograms of cocaine hidden in his luggage. The arrest occurred at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, where Onyebuchi was detained while trying to board a Qatar Airways flight. According to an official statement, a search of his check-in bag revealed the cocaine concealed within the walls and railings of the bag. The NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the arrest and described the case as a clear example of how individuals resort to desperate measures to enter the illicit drug trade. Onyebuchi, who operates a marble business in Lagos, admitted to having sold all his assets, including his business, to fund the purchase of the cocaine consignment. He claimed he raised approximately N23 million to acquire the drugs, expecting to sell them in India for up to N100 million. His confession highlights the financial motivations driving some individuals into the drug trade. The suspect remains in custody pending prosecution. In addition to the arrest of Onyebuchi, the NDLEA conducted multiple operations across several Nigerian states, resulting in the seizure of substantial quantities of illegal substances. In Lagos, agents raided a warehouse located at 20 Hakeem Dosumu Street, Ago Palace area, where they discovered 3,776 cartons containing 377,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup, valued at over N2.6 billion. This seizure took place between Friday, 7th August, and Saturday, 8th August, 2026. Another operation led to the recovery of 324 kilograms of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, from the residence of a 55-year-old kingpin named Shoremi Kayode, located at 37 Ogundare Street, Ipaja Estate, Lagos. Alongside the cannabis, law enforcement officials also confiscated a Mercedes-Benz car and a Toyota Corolla car from the suspect. Across the country, similar operations yielded additional seizures. In Kwara State, two suspects were arrested at Kam Wire area of Ilorin with 55.96 kilograms of skunk. Two other individuals were apprehended along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Oyo State, where they were found in possession of 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection. In Delta State, NDLEA operatives intercepted two suspects, Osaro Ikpoba and Samuel Godbless, along the Onitsha-Asaba Expressway, recovering 124,100 pills of tramadol, 786 bottles of codeine syrup, 2,598 tablets of rohypnol, 4,800 tablets of diazepam, 470 ampoules of pentazocine injection, and 200 ampoules of tramadol injection. Another individual, Emeka Tony, was arrested with 1,244 cartridges and N8 million in cash along the Kwale-Ozoro Expressway. In Plateau State, a Toyota Corolla registered under MKD 341 EA was intercepted along the Riyom-Jos Road, yielding 239,490 capsules of Tramaforce, a brand of tramadol. The suspect, Kasum Sherif, was subsequently arrested. In Kano State, six suspects were apprehended along the Zaria-Kano Road, including Okodili Ibeabuchi, Onyeka Vincent, Nwanko Wisdom, Success Chigozie, Emmanuel Jude, and Chinedu Peter. From these individuals, law enforcement recovered 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, a synthetic strain of cannabis. Meanwhile, in Ecuador, authorities seized 369 kilograms of cocaine from a truck near the Colombian border, with the packages bearing the image of Norwegian football player Erling Haaland. The operation took place in the Guagua Negro area near Tulcán, approximately 246 kilometers north of Quito. The cocaine, estimated to be worth nearly $11 million in the U.S. and over $19.6 million in Europe, was discovered in a false compartment of the truck. The driver, identified only as María R., who carried Colombian identity documents, was also arrested. The use of Haaland's image on the packages is believed to be part of a broader trend where drug traffickers label their shipments with the names of popular athletes to identify networks and clients.
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