The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a previously convicted drug trafficker and three other suspects following the interception of a cocaine consignment concealed in sachets of liquid starch and destined for the United Kingdom.
In a statement on Sunday, NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said operatives uncovered 75 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.5 kilogrammes at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
According to the agency, three freight agents — Jubrin Hassana, Kuku Oluwasegun and Igwe Jane — were arrested on Saturday, December 20, 2025, while processing the illegal shipment for export.
Babafemi said further investigations led to the arrest of Nwobodo Chidiebere, 37, identified as the coordinator of the consignment. He was apprehended the following day at a relaxation centre in Ikeja, Lagos.
NDLEA records revealed that Nwobodo had been convicted in 2023 for trafficking 30.1 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in powdered custard containers and bound for the UK. He was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment with an option of a ₦7 million fine, which he paid, before allegedly returning to the illicit drug trade.
Beyond the airport seizure, the agency recorded several other interceptions across the country. In Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives dismantled cannabis warehouses in the Ara forest, recovering 638 kilogrammes of skunk. In Edo State, 1,205 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 883.1 kilogrammes were intercepted along the Igara–Auchi road.
In Cross River State, raids resulted in the arrest of three suspects with more than 900 kilogrammes of skunk, while a woman was apprehended along the Abaji–Abuja expressway with 38 kilogrammes of cannabis while travelling from Edo State.
Additional arrests were made in Lagos State following the seizure of over 60 kilogrammes of skunk in Badagry and Agbara. In Taraba State, two suspects were arrested in Takum with 48 kilogrammes of cannabis.
Similarly, in Gombe State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a 65-year-old driver along the Gombe–Biu highway with large quantities of tramadol, pentazocine injections and other opioids allegedly bound for Borno State.
The agency also confirmed the arrest of Ignatius Egbochie, also known as “Brown,” a businessman wanted in connection with an earlier seizure of 26 kilogrammes of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, at the Tincan Seaport, Lagos.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA said it continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns across several states, engaging students, teachers, worshippers and community groups.
Commending the officers involved in the operations, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised their vigilance and urged personnel nationwide to sustain professionalism during the festive period and beyond.
