Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 37-year-old ex-convict, Nwobodo Chidiebere Basil, alongside three cargo agents, over an attempt to export cocaine concealed in sachets of liquid starch to the United Kingdom.
The agency disclosed in a statement on Sunday that the arrests followed the interception of 75 parcels of cocaine weighing a total of 1.50 kilograms at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
According to NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, three cargo agents identified as Jubrin Firdausi Hassana, Kuku Daniel Oluwasegun and Igwe Chioma Jane were arrested on December 20 during the initial operation, while further investigations led to the arrest of Nwobodo the following day at a relaxation centre in Ikeja.
“A notorious drug trafficker, Nwobodo Basil, previously convicted for dealing in 30.10kg of methamphetamine in 2023, has again been apprehended following this seizure. He was located at a relaxation centre on a date with his girlfriend,” Babafemi said.
He explained that NDLEA records showed Nwobodo was earlier arrested in May 2023 after 30.10 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in powdered custard containers were seized while being prepared for export to London.
Babafemi said the suspect was arraigned before a Federal High Court in charge number: FHC/L/337C/2023, convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment with an option of a ₦7,000,000 fine and one-month community service, effective from December 4, 2023. He added that the suspect paid the fine and returned to drug trafficking shortly after.
The NDLEA spokesman also revealed that a 65-year-old driver was arrested in Gombe State with a large consignment of pentazocine injections and tramadol pills while travelling along the Gombe–Biu highway toward Biu in Borno State. In Lagos, a 47-year-old businessman, Ignatius Egbochie, also known as Brown, was apprehended in connection with an earlier seizure of 26 kilograms of “loud” cannabis at the Tincan seaport.
Babafemi said the cannabis consignment was intercepted on December 10 during a joint container examination involving NDLEA, Customs and other security agencies, while a follow-up operation on December 19 led to Egbochie’s arrest in Apapa.
He further disclosed that NDLEA operatives destroyed drug warehouses and recovered large quantities of cannabis across several states between December 21 and 25, 2025, leading to multiple arrests.
According to the statement, operations in Ekiti, Edo, Cross River, Abuja, Lagos and Taraba resulted in the destruction of tons of skunk and the recovery of hundreds of kilograms of cannabis, alongside the arrest of suspects linked to large-scale cultivation and distribution of illicit drugs.
What you should know
The NDLEA has intensified nationwide enforcement operations following Nigeria’s renewed commitment to combating drug trafficking and abuse.
Drug smugglers increasingly use deceptive concealment methods, including food items and household products, to evade detection, particularly for exports to Europe. The agency has repeatedly warned that offenders who exploit fines instead of prison terms to return to crime will face tougher scrutiny and prosecution.
The recent arrests highlight ongoing concerns about repeat offenders, weak deterrence, and the scale of organised drug networks operating across Nigeria’s airports, seaports and interstate routes.
