74-Year-Old Nabbed With Massive Coca!ne Haul At Abuja Airport

According to Ireporter Online, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 74-year-old man, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, following the discovery of a large quantity of cocaine concealed in foil papers and balloons within his luggage. Emeka was intercepted on Saturday, March 14, 2026, while attempting to board British Airways flight BA082 to Heathrow, London. A subsequent search revealed 11 kilograms of cocaine hidden in food items, including ground dry pepper.

In a separate operation in Lagos on Monday, March 9, NDLEA operatives arrested Maryam Olalowo at Ikad Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, for attempting to sell 89 grams of cocaine and 20 grams of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis. Olalowo, who was with her three children at the time, admitted the drugs belonged to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who was later taken into custody. Ibrahim confirmed ownership of the drugs and has a previous conviction for a similar offence in 2015, which led to a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence.

NDLEA also apprehended two suspects, Kalilou Simpara and Saidu Ibrahim, at Ebetu Ero, Lagos Island, after they were caught preparing to transport 68,000 pills of tramadol to Benin Republic on March 9. A follow-up operation at Idumota market led to the arrest of the actual owner of the consignment, Nnamdi Cyprian, and the seizure of 1,000 tramadol tablets. Another raid at the same market on March 13 resulted in the arrest of Nwanosike Kelvin and the recovery of 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection.

Additional operations included the arrest of 42-year-old Magaji Dan Azumi in Bebeji, Kano, with 386 kilograms of skunk on March 10, and the recovery of 282.2 kilograms of skunk from Isah Wako, 42, in Gwagwalada, Abuja, on March 13. In Edo State, NDLEA officers raided the Egwa forest reserve, Orhionmwon LGA, apprehending 33-year-old Chinedo Odalonu and destroying 4,218.96 kilograms of skunk, while recovering 16.5 kilograms from the farms.

At Apapa seaport in Lagos on March 14, NDLEA, working with Customs and other security agencies, intercepted two containers holding a total of 339,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup, flagged earlier through intelligence on the concealment of opioids.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers for their diligence in reducing both drug supply and demand across the country.