By Ajibola Olaide, JKNewsMedia Reporter
COCAINED CONCEALED inside the body of a China bound passenger triggered a string of arrests and seizures nationwide as operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted multiple drug consignments and dismantled a synthetic cannabis facility.
NDLEA operatives arrested a 62-year-old Lagos based businessman, Nwabueze Nicholas Izueke, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport Kano while he was heading to China with 95 jumbo sized wraps of cocaine weighing 1.589kg buried in his stomach.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the agency said he was arrested on Saturday 31 January 2026 during outward clearance of passengers travelling to China via Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940.
A body scan tested positive for ingesting illicit drugs and he was placed under excretion observation.
Under observation, the suspect, who said he deals in clothing and auto spare parts in Lagos, expelled 95 pellets of the class A drug in seven excretions.
He also stated that he engaged in illicit drug trafficking to raise money to complete a country home he is building in Iwollo, Enugu state.
The agency operatives also recovered 627.7kg of skunk, a strain of cannabis, from a makeshift warehouse within Fums Plaza in Kubwa, FCT.
Attempts by Ebube Okeke, Evans Ugwu, Mohammed Eze Arinze and Friday Michael to smuggle methamphetamine concealed in Mp3 speakers from Enugu to Abuja and Kaduna were foiled on Friday 6 February when NDLEA officers intercepted the consignments in a bus in Abuja.
A follow up operation in Zuba, FCT, led to the arrest of Okeke, identified as the owner of one of the parcels containing 173g of meth. Ugwu,
Arinze and Michael were arrested on Saturday 7 February in Kaduna when they appeared to collect a second consignment weighing 28g of meth.
At Dan anacha patrol point in Gassol local government area of Taraba state, officers on Friday 6 February intercepted Yusuf Abubakar, 32, conveying packs of Hollandia Yogurt from Lagos to Mubi, Adamawa state.
The agency said intelligence led officers to search the yogurt packs, some of which concealed wraps of white powdery substance that tested positive to methamphetamine weighing 1.8kg.
Officers in Oyo state arrested Shuaibu Abdulrahman, 29, at Ibudo Igboho village, Sooro Kishi, on Thursday 5 February and recovered 149.6kg of skunk concealed in rice shafts.
A separate operation in Ibadan led to the arrest of Adeniyi Adeola, also known as Prince, at Foko, Agbeni market on Wednesday 4 February. Items recovered from his truck marked BDJ 767 YC included 10,820 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 117,820 capsules of tramadol.
A drug kingpin, Jimoh Nurudeen, 40, who owns a facility producing Colorado, described by the agency as a synthetic cannabis, was arrested on Saturday 7 February at Badeku area of Ibadan with his accomplice, Ogundipe Yusuf, 27.
Officers recovered 8 litres of precursor chemical, 14g of skunk and other production paraphernalia, ₦7,408,400 and two vehicles, a Mercedes Benz SUV marked ABC 832 AZ and a Toyota Highlander marked RBC 243 BS.
Operatives in Kwara state on Saturday 7 February intercepted a fuel tanker conveying petrol from Lagos to Maiduguri. A search of the truck uncovered 395,400 capsules of tramadol concealed in parts of the petrol laden vehicle and the driver was taken into custody.
A couple, Izuchukwu Azubuike, 37, and Ifunaya Mmadueke, 32, were arrested at Umuaka, Njaba, Imo state with 203kg of skunk on Saturday 7 February, while officers in Ondo state on Friday 6 February recovered 420kg of skunk in a bush at Ikun Akoko.
Marine Command operatives seized 31 wraps of cocaine hidden in a handbag from Eze Nodebechi Austin upon his arrival from Cote D’Ivoire in a passenger boat at Yekeme, Badagry, Lagos state on Friday 6 February.
Officers also arrested Adekunle Oluwatosin Olajide on Wednesday 4 February at Lagos Island and recovered 3.6kg of Canadian Loud and Colorado from him.
In Enugu, Emeka Okeke, 37, was arrested at his hideout at Akuruka street, Asata, Ezeagu, where quantities of skunk, meth, cocaine and molly as well as ₦457,700 were seized.
The agency said its officers continued War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities nationwide during the week, including lectures at schools in Anambra, Oyo and Lagos, and an advocacy visit by the Niger State command to the Emir of Suleja, Alhaji Mohammed Auwal Ibrahim.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa, retired, commended officers of the MAKIA, Marine, FCT, Taraba, Oyo, Kwara, Imo, Ondo, Lagos and Lagos Commands for the arrests and seizures and urged them to maintain professionalism and commitment in drug supply and demand reduction activities.
