Businessman undergoes surgery to expel 81 wraps of cocaine after NDLEA arrest

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 59-year-old businessman, Chijioke Nnanna Igbokwe, who later underwent emergency surgery to remove 81 wraps of cocaine from his stomach.

According to the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, Igbokwe was apprehended at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on January 26 during the inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines passengers. A body scan confirmed he had ingested illicit drugs.

Investigations revealed that Igbokwe, who claims to be a clothing trader in Lagos, had traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 22, where he swallowed the 81 wraps of cocaine a day later.

He then boarded a flight to Beirut, Lebanon, to deliver the consignment for a fee of $3,000.

However, Lebanese authorities denied him entry for failing to meet the $2,000 minimum financial requirement and deported him back to Addis Ababa.

Struggling to excrete the drugs, Igbokwe returned to Lagos on January 25, where he was arrested upon arrival. After five days in NDLEA custody, he managed to expel only 24 pellets despite medical intervention. Due to health complications, doctors at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) performed an exploratory laparotomy on January 30 to remove the remaining 57 pellets. In total, NDLEA recovered 1.943 kilograms of cocaine from his stomach.

NDLEA Intercepts 2,000kg of Ghanaian Loud at Lagos Beach

In a separate operation, NDLEA officers intercepted a 2,000-kilogram shipment of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis, at Lekki Beach, Lagos, on January 29. Two suspects, Sunday Awoyede and Christopher Cletus, were arrested while attempting to load the illicit cargo into a truck. Another suspect, Lawal Idris Olasunkanmi, was apprehended the same day with 55 kilograms of skunk during a raid in Mushin, Lagos.

Nationwide Drug Sensitization Efforts

Across the country, NDLEA intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign through sensitization programs in schools, workplaces, and traditional institutions. Among the key events were lectures at Grand Light Model School, Akwa Ibom; Community Grammar School, Oyo; and Federal Government College, Sokoto. The agency’s Kogi Command also conducted a WADA advocacy visit to the Attah of Igala, HRH Mathew Opaluwa Oguche.

Marwa Warns Drug Traffickers

NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers for their vigilance, particularly in handling Igbokwe’s case and intercepting the cannabis consignment. He reiterated that drug traffickers not only endanger others but also risk their own lives. Marwa also applauded NDLEA’s ongoing sensitization efforts to curb drug abuse in communities nationwide.