A China-bound auto parts dealer, 62-year-old Nwabueze Nicholas Izueke, has been arrested with 95 jumbo-sized wraps of cocaine weighing 1.589 kilograms buried in his stomach.
The Lagos-based businessman was arrested at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) Kano by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) while heading to China.
The auto parts dealer was arrested on Saturday, 31 January, 2026 at the Kano Airport during the outward clearance of passengers going to China via Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940.
As contained in a release, on Sunday, by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the anti-narcotic agency also intercepted meth consignments in yogurt packs, Mp3 speakers and also raided a Colos factory in Ibadan, Oyo State where its kingpin was arrested.
Babafemi stated in the release that the China-bound auto parts dealer, when taken for body scan, he tested positive for ingesting illicit drug and was promptly placed under excretion observation.
“While under observation, the suspect, who claims he is into clothing and auto parts business in Lagos, expelled a total of 95 pellets of the Class A drug in seven excretions.
“In his statement, he claimed he decided to engage in illicit drug trafficking to raise enough money to complete the country home he is building in his village, Iwollo, Enugu State,” it was stated.
In another development, a total of 627.7 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, were recovered from a makeshift warehouse within Fums Plaza in Kubwa, FCT.
Also an attempt by Ebube Okeke, Evans Ugwu, Mohammed Eze Arinze and Friday Michael to smuggle consignments of methamphetamine concealed in Mp3 speakers from Enugu to Abuja and Kaduna was, last Friday, foiled by NDLEA operatives in Abuja who intercepted the consignments in a bus.
“A follow up operation in Zuba, FCT led to the arrest of Ebube Okeke who is the owner of one of the parcels containing 173grams of meth, while the trio of Evans Ugwu, Mohammed Eze Arinze and Friday Michael were nabbed on Saturday, 7 February in Kaduna when they showed up to collect the second consignment weighing 28grams of meth,” it was added.
In a similar development, NDLEA operatives at Dan-anacha Patrol Point, Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State, last Friday, intercepted a suspect Yusuf Abubakar, 32, conveying packs of Hollandia Yogurt from Lagos, heading to Mubi, Adamawa State.
“Acting on intelligence, the NDLEA officers searched the yogurt packs, some of which were used to conceal wraps of white powdery substance that tested positive to methamphetamine weighing 1.8 kilograms,” it was added.
In Oyo State, NDLEA officers, Thursday, arrested a Beninoise Shuaibu Abdulrahman (29), at Ibudo-Igboho Village, Sooro Kishi, where they recovered 149.6kg Skunk concealed in rice shafts.
In a separate operation in Ibadan, a suspect Adeniyi Adeola (a.k.a Prince) was nabbed at Foko, Agbeni market on Wednesday, 4 February.
Recovered from his truck, marked BDJ 767 YC, were 10,820 ampoules of pentazocine injection; and 117,820 capsules of tramadol.
Also in Ibadan, a drug kingpin, Jimoh Nurudeen (40), who owns a facility where he produces Colorado, a synthetic cannabis, was on, Saturday, 7 February, arrested at Badeku area of Ibadan, along with his accomplice Ogundipe Yusuf, 27.
Recovered from them were 8 litres of precursor chemical; 14 grams of skunk and other paraphernalia of Colos production.
Also recovered from them were monetary exhibit of ₦7,408,400.00 and two vehicles: a Mercedes Benz SUV marked ABC 832 AZ and a Toyota Highlander with registration number RBC 243 BS.
In Kwara State, NDLEA operatives, on Saturday, intercepted a fuel tanker conveying petrol from Lagos to Maiduguri, Borno State.
“A search of the truck led to the recovery of 395,400 capsules of tramadol concealed in parts of the petrol laden truck, while the driver was taken into custody,” it was added.
A couple, Izuchukwu Azubuike (37) and Ifunaya Mmadueke (32), was arrested at Umuaka, Njaba, Imo State with 203kg skunk on Saturday, 7 February, just as NDLEA operatives recovered 420kg skunk in a bush at Ikun Akoko, Ondo State, last Friday.
No fewer than 31 wraps of cocaine, hidden in a handbag, were seized by operatives of the Marine Command of NDLEA from a suspect, Eze Nodebechi Austin upon his arrival from Cote D’Ivoire in a passenger’s boat at Yekeme, Badagry, Lagos State, last Friday, NDLEA disclosed.
A suspect Adekunle Oluwatosin Olajide was, last Wednesday, arrested at Lagos Island by NDLEA operatives who recovered 3.6 kilograms of Canadian Loud and Colorado from him.
In Enugu, a drug dealer, Emeka Okeke (37), was nabbed in his hideout at Akuruka Street, Asata, Ezeagu where various quantities of skunk, meth, cocaine and molly as well as ₦457,700 monetary exhibit were seized from him.
Meanwhile, NDLEA officers continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities across all Commands and formations nationwide, in the past week.
These included WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Agulu Awka Community Secondary School, Awka, Anambra; Okeodo Community High School, Igboora, Oyo;
Wisdom Foundation Secondary School, Ado, Lagos, while Niger State command of NDLEA paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Suleja, Alhaji Mohammed Auwal Ibrahim, among others.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), has commended the officers and men of the MAKIA, Marine, FCT, Taraba, Oyo, Kwara, Imo, Ondo, Lagos, and Lagos Commands for the arrests, and seizures.
He enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to maintain the current level of professionalism and commitment in all their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities.
