By Kofoworola Fekeye, JKNewsMedia Reporter
OPERATIVES OF the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 38-year-old businesswoman, Iwebema Ogechi Peace, after discovering 7.5kg of cocaine concealed in the false bottom of her luggage at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the agency said Iwebema, who claimed she travelled to China to buy items for sale in Nigeria, was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal 2 on Sunday 21 June 2026 while preparing to board a Qatar Airways flight to Beijing, following a credible intelligence.
A search of her checked luggage led to the recovery of four large parcels of cocaine hidden inside a professionally created false compartment in the bag cocaine weighing 7.5kg.
The agency also announced the recovery of 4,959kg of Canadian Loud, described as a strong strain of cannabis, with a street value of N12,397,500,000.
NDLEA said operatives of two Special Operations Units tracked and monitored the container carrying the consignment for more than four weeks before it was intercepted on Wednesday 23 June 2026 during a joint examination at the Apapa ports complex in Lagos.
According to the agency, the container held 195 large sacks of Canadian Loud loaded alongside a Ford and a Nissan vehicle.
It said the shipment was tracked from Toronto, Canada, where it arrived by truck on 25 April 2026, moved to Montreal by rail on 29 April, reached Tanger Med, Morocco, on 11 May, was loaded onto another vessel on 23 May, arrived at Tincan Port, Lagos, on 4 June, was discharged on 5 June and later moved to Apapa Port on Monday 22 June.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in the Federal Capital Territory, working with colleagues in Anambra State, uncovered a syndicate that plants illicit drugs in the luggage of unsuspecting passengers at motor parks.
Also, the agency said the operation followed the interception of a Sienna bus travelling from Nnewi, Anambra State, at Abaji in the FCT on Saturday 20 June 2026.
A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of a waybill package containing substances suspected to be methamphetamine concealed inside a black nylon bag placed in a sack of clothes bearing the receiver’s phone number.
Another follow-up operation led to the arrest of the intended recipient, Mrs. Gloria Peter, at Utako Motor Park. NDLEA said she denied knowledge and ownership of the package.
The agency said further investigations resulted in the arrest of loaders of the Sienna bus in Nnewi. One of the loaders disclosed that he placed the drug package in the woman’s luggage on the instruction of the driver, Abdurrazak Isah.
NDLEA added that the driver later identified one of his passengers, Onyebuchi Victor Okoye, as the owner of the drug. Okoye was subsequently arrested at Utako in another follow up operation. The recovered methamphetamine weighed 467.7g.
It also said operatives of a Special Operations Unit arrested 57-year-old Ikechukwu Uwakwe at a motor park in Iddo, Lagos, on Saturday 27 June after recovering 209.50kg of Scottish Loud. The consignment was being transported to Enugu when it was intercepted.
NDLEA further announced the arrest of two Benin Republic nationals, Hossou Tito Julien, 30, and Mancellim Dossou, 19, alongside Nigerian suspect Jackson ThankGod after operatives intercepted their truck on Mile 2 Bridge on Sunday 21 June.
Further search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 558,900 pills of Tramadol 250mg concealed in a fabricated compartment of the truck.
The agency also arrested Lucky Abonga and Osas Azamobo along the Lagos Ibadan Expressway on Friday 26 June while they transported 118kg of skunk hidden among legitimate goods in a truck travelling from Ebute Ero, Lagos Island, to Onitsha, Anambra State.
During another operation in Lagos on the same day, NDLEA arrested Helen Ese Idiji, 40, and Rashidat Sa’adullah, 53, at 15 Olumokun Street, Amukoko, where operatives recovered 28.8kg of skunk.
The agency said investigations revealed that Helen stored her illicit consignments with Rashidat before distributing them to customers.
NDLEA also said its commands and formations across the country continued War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation activities during the week in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities, including Government Girls Science Secondary School, Damaturu, Yobe State, Adesalu Primary School, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos, Government Girls Secondary School, Badawa, Kano, School of Science and Islamic Studies, Ankpa, Kogi State, and Community Secondary School, Ezimo, Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa, retired, commended officers and men of the MMIA, Special Operations Units, Apapa, FCT, Anambra and Lagos commands for the arrests and seizures.
He said their drug supply reduction efforts were balanced with War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation activities and charged them not to rest on their efforts.
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