NDLEA arrests UK bound 74-year-old man at Abuja airport with 11kg of cocaine hidden in balloons
As agency recovers drugs in Lagos raids
.Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have taken into custody Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, a 74-year-old man, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja following the discovery of cocaine concealed in foil papers and balloons in his luggage
The septuagenarian who claimed he was travelling to London, United Kingdom for vacation, was arrested by NDLEA officers at the departure hall of the Abuja airport while attempting to board a British Airways flight BA082 to Heathrow London on Saturday 14th March 2026.
During a search of his luggage, blocks of cocaine weighing 11 kilograms were discovered concealed inside food items, including ground dry pepper, carefully wrapped in foil papers and balloons.
In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence in the early hours of Monday 9th March arrested a woman, Mrs. Maryam Olalowo at Ikad Hotel and Suites, on Etim Inyang Street, Victoria Island, while attempting to sell 89grams of cocaine and 20grams of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis. She was found with her three children, including an infant, at the time of the arrest. She confessed the illicit drugs belong to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who was later taken into custody same day while his wife was immediately set free.
Ibrahim confirmed ownership of the illicit drugs in his statement while further investigation revealed that he had previously been arrested, convicted, and sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for a similar offence in 2015
In another interdiction operation, NDLEA operatives arrested two suspects: Kalilou Simpara and Saidu Ibrahim at Ebetu Ero, Lagos Island where they recovered 68,000 pills of tramadol 250mg and 225mg after they had loaded the exhibits into their truck and preparing to transport them to Benin Republic on Monday 9th March.
A follow-up operation was conducted on Wednesday 11th March at Idumota market, Lagos Island, where the actual owner of the consignment, Nnamdi Cyprian, was arrested. A search of his shop led to the discovery of a parcel already prepared for waybill delivery, containing 1,000 tablets of tramadol 250mg. Another raid at Idumota market on Friday 13th March led to the arrest of Nwanosike Kelvin and the recovery of 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection from his shop.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the operatives in Lagos and other commands of the Agency for recent arrests and seizures, while also extending appreciation to their counterparts nationwide for maintaining a balance between drug supply reduction and demand reduction initiatives
Credit: NDLEA
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