NDLEA Nabs 62-Year-Old Lagos Trader With Cocaine Ingested for China Trip, Dismantles Ibadan Synthetic Drug Lab
Story: Written by Myra February 8,2026
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 62-year-old Lagos-based man, Nwabueze Nicholas Izueke, for attempting to traffic cocaine to China by concealing the drug in his stomach.
Izueke was intercepted on January 31, 2026, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport during the outbound screening of Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940. A body scan revealed the presence of foreign substances in his system, after which he was placed under medical observation.
According to the NDLEA, the suspect, who claimed to deal in clothing and auto spare parts, expelled a total of 95 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.589 kilograms over seven excretions spanning one week. The agency disclosed that Izueke later admitted to the offence, explaining that he resorted to drug trafficking to raise funds to complete a building project in his hometown of Iwollo, Enugu State.
In a related crackdown, NDLEA operatives in Ibadan, Oyo State, uncovered and dismantled a synthetic cannabis production facility in the Badeku area. Two suspects—Jimoh Nurudeen, 40, described as a major drug supplier in the Ibadan axis, and his alleged accomplice, Ogundipe Yusuf, 27—were arrested during the raid.
Items recovered from the facility included eight litres of chemical precursors, drug-making equipment, ₦7,408,400 in cash, and two luxury vehicles—a Mercedes-Benz SUV and a Toyota Highlander—suspected to be proceeds of illicit drug activities. NDLEA said the facility was used to produce “Colorado,” a highly potent synthetic cannabis.
Meanwhile, the agency’s Marine Command also intercepted another suspect, Eze Nodebechi Austin, at Yekeme in Badagry on Friday, February 6, 2026, shortly after he arrived from Côte d’Ivoire. A search of his luggage reportedly led to the discovery of 31 wraps of cocaine concealed inside a handbag.
The NDLEA reiterated its commitment to intensifying operations against drug trafficking networks across the country.
