The suspect allegedly swallowed the cocaine in an attempt to smuggle it to Portugal, while nationwide operations also led to major drug seizures, arrests and the destruction of cannabis farms.
The suspect was reportedly intercepted at the airport’s departure hall on September 25, 2026, while preparing to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Lisbon, Portugal, via Addis Ababa.
According to the NDLEA, Chukwulobelu was subsequently placed under excretion observation, during which he expelled a total of 72 wraps of cocaine.
During preliminary questioning, the suspect reportedly told investigators that he previously operated a car decoration business at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo, Lagos, before relocating to Portugal in May 2023.
He said he returned to Nigeria to get married on September 13, 2026, and allegedly became involved in drug trafficking to offset expenses incurred during his wedding.
NDLEA uncovers 2.5 million opioid pills in Lagos
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, uncovered more than 2.5 million opioid pills during a joint examination of three monitored consignments.
The operation, conducted on September 22, led to the seizure of 2,550,000 pills of Tramaking 225mg, Tramaking 250mg and Royal Tapentadol 250mg, with a combined gross weight of 1,640.55 kilogrammes.
The consignments, which originated from India and Bangladesh, reportedly arrived in Nigeria aboard flights operated by Qatar Airways, RwandAir and Ethiopian Airlines.
The seizure was described as one of the agency’s largest opioid interceptions of the year.
262.5kg of skunk recovered from truck in Bauchi
In Bauchi State, NDLEA operatives arrested two suspects, Umar Hamidu, 35, and Abdulkarim Salihu, 45, along the Maiduguri bypass, following the discovery of 300 compressed blocks of skunk weighing 262.5 kilogrammes.
The agency said the cannabis consignment was concealed in a false compartment beneath a truck.
Meanwhile, in Edo State, NDLEA operatives, supported by soldiers, destroyed two cannabis farms at Eko Camp, Ilushi, on September 23.
The farms had an estimated combined yield of 1,360.23 kilogrammes of cannabis.
Two women arrested in Lagos drug raid
In Lagos, two women, Odumabo Kehinde, 36, and Obiekwe Chioma, 40, were arrested on September 26 during a raid on Anifowoshe Street, Mushin.
NDLEA operatives reportedly recovered 3.4 kilogrammes of skunk during the operation.
In another operation carried out the same day, officers intercepted a 58-year-old man, Ugwu Johnson, at Ebute-Ero Motor Park, where they recovered a large quantity of illicit substances and controlled medicines.
The items seized from the suspect included 5.92 kilogrammes of skunk, 2,400 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 8,400 tablets of nitrazepam and 40,000 tablets of tramadol.
Two Togolese nationals arrested with 305kg of cannabis
In Oyo State, two Togolese nationals, Yinusa Abdulsamad, 35, and Fatai Baba, 33, were arrested along the Iganna-Ilero Road with 305.6 kilogrammes of skunk.
The NDLEA said the cannabis was concealed in two pickup vans.
According to the agency, preliminary findings indicated that the suspects were allegedly involved in a cross-border drug trafficking network that moved cannabis sourced from Ghana into Nigeria through the Oyo axis.
1,688kg of laughing gas intercepted at Seme border
At the Seme border in Badagry, Lagos State, NDLEA operatives arrested five suspects in connection with the seizure of 420 cartons of nitrous oxide, popularly known as laughing gas.
The suspects were identified as Kingsley John, 40; John Chibuike Okeke, 44; Lamidi Ismaila, 40; Babatunde Samuel, 42; and Afeesu Idowu, 47.
The seized consignment weighed 1,688.4 kilogrammes.
Two vehicles allegedly used to transport the nitrous oxide into Lagos were also recovered during the operation.
NDLEA intensifies nationwide drug abuse awareness campaigns
Beyond its enforcement operations, the agency said its commands across the country continued public sensitisation activities under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.
The awareness programmes were conducted in schools, religious institutions, workplaces and communities to educate members of the public on the dangers of drug abuse and the importance of prevention.
In Oyo State, sensitisation lectures were delivered at Community High School, Saki, while activities were also held at Auchi College in Edo State.
In Gombe State, the campaign reached Alkali Modibbo Islamic Centre, Dukku, while Junior Arabic Secondary School in Kahu, Kibiya Local Government Area of Kano State, also hosted a sensitisation programme.
The Delta Ports Command, meanwhile, paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, as part of efforts to strengthen community engagement and support for drug abuse prevention.
Marwa commends officers, calls for sustained efforts
The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Marwa (retd.), commended officers of the agency’s commands at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Lagos, Oyo, Edo, Seme and Bauchi for their roles in the operations.
Marwa urged officers to sustain their commitment to the agency’s drug control strategy, which combines enforcement with drug abuse prevention and public sensitisation.
He reiterated the importance of maintaining a balanced approach to combating illicit drug trafficking while strengthening efforts to educate communities about the risks associated with drug abuse.
The latest operations underscore the range of enforcement activities being undertaken by the agency, from airport interceptions and border surveillance to targeted raids and the destruction of illegal cannabis farms.
The allegations against the arrested suspects have not been established in court.
