Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a previously convicted drug trafficker and three other suspects following the interception of a cocaine consignment ingeniously concealed in sealed sachets of liquid starch and bound for the United Kingdom.
The arrest was confirmed in a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi.
He disclosed that NDLEA officers uncovered 75 parcels of cocaine with a combined weight of 1.5 kilogrammes at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
According to the statement, three freight agents identified as Jubrin Hassana, Kuku Oluwasegun and Igwe Jane were apprehended on Saturday, December 20, 2025, while processing the illicit cargo for shipment abroad.
Babafemi said further intelligence-led investigations exposed the mastermind behind the operation, leading to the arrest of 37-year-old Nwobodo Chidiebere.
He was picked up the following day at a relaxation spot in the Ikeja area of Lagos, where he was reportedly overseeing logistics for the drug movement.
Checks by the agency revealed that Nwobodo is not new to drug trafficking.
NDLEA records showed that he was convicted in 2023 for attempting to export 30.1 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in powdered custard containers to the United Kingdom.
He was sentenced to five years in prison with an option of a N7 million fine, which he paid, before allegedly resuming involvement in illicit drug trade.
Beyond the airport operation in Lagos, the NDLEA said its officers recorded significant drug seizures and arrests across several states during the period under review.
In Ekiti State, operatives uncovered and dismantled cannabis warehouses hidden within the Ara forest, where a total of 638 kilogrammes of skunk were recovered.
Similarly, in Edo State, officers intercepted 1,205 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 883.1 kilogrammes along the Igara–Auchi road.
In Cross River State, coordinated raids resulted in the arrest of three suspects found in possession of over 900 kilogrammes of skunk.
Along the Abaji–Abuja expressway, a woman travelling from Edo State was arrested with 38 kilogrammes of cannabis concealed in her luggage.
Lagos State also recorded multiple arrests, following the seizure of more than 60 kilogrammes of skunk during separate operations in Badagry and Agbara.
In the North-East, NDLEA operatives in Taraba State arrested two suspects in Takum with 48 kilogrammes of cannabis, while in Gombe State, a 65-year-old commercial driver was intercepted along the Gombe–Biu highway.
The suspect was found with substantial quantities of tramadol, pentazocine injections and other opioids allegedly being transported to Borno State.
The agency further confirmed the arrest of a businessman, Ignatius Egbochie, also known as “Brown,” who had been on its wanted list in connection with an earlier seizure of 26 kilogrammes of “Loud,” a high-potency strain of cannabis, at the Tincan Seaport in Lagos.
In addition to enforcement operations, the NDLEA said it sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaigns nationwide, engaging students, teachers, religious groups and community stakeholders to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.
Commending the officers involved in the operations, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised their commitment and vigilance.
He urged personnel across the country to remain professional and resolute in the discharge of their duties during the festive season and beyond, stressing that the agency would not relent in its fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
