UK-bound 74-year-old man nabbed at Abuja airport with 11kg cocaine in balloons

 

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 74-year-old man, Ikwuakalom  Emeka, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, after allegedly finding 11 kilograms of cocaine concealed in his luggage.

The elderly suspect, who said he was travelling to London, United Kingdom, for a vacation, was apprehended at the airport’s departure hall while attempting to board British Airways flight BA082 bound for Heathrow on Saturday, 14 March 2026.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA, officers discovered the cocaine during a search of the suspect’s luggage.

“In Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence in the early hours of Monday 9th March arrested a woman, Mrs. Maryam Olalowo at (hotel) Victoria Island, while attempting to sell 89grams of cocaine and 20grams of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis. She was found with her three children, including an infant, at the time of the arrest. She confessed the illicit drugs belong to her husband, Ibrahim Olatunji, who was later taken into custody same day while his wife was immediately set free,” the statement said.

Babafemi added that blocks of cocaine weighing 11 kilograms were hidden inside food items in the suspect’s luggage.

“During a search of his luggage, blocks of cocaine weighing 11 kilograms were discovered concealed inside food items, including ground dry pepper, carefully wrapped in foil papers and balloons.”

According to NDLEA, Ibrahim allegedly admitted ownership of the illicit drugs during interrogation, while further investigation showed he had earlier been arrested, convicted and sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for a similar offence in 2015.

The agency also reported several other arrests and seizures during operations across the country.

“In another interdiction operation, NDLEA said its operatives arrested two suspects: Kalilou Simpara and Saidu Ibrahim at Ebetu Ero, Lagos Island where they recovered 68,000 pills of tramadol 250mg and 225mg after they had loaded the exhibits into their truck and preparing to transport them to Benin Republic on Monday 9th March.”

“A follow-up operation was conducted on Wednesday 11th March at Idumota market, Lagos Island, where the actual owner of the consignment, Nnamdi Cyprian, was arrested. A search of his shop led to the discovery of a parcel already prepared for waybill delivery, containing 1,000 tablets of tramadol 250mg. Another raid at Idumota market on Friday 13th March led to the arrest of Nwanosike Kelvin and the recovery of 47,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection from his shop.”

The agency also recorded seizures in other parts of the country.
“While a 42-year-old Magaji Dan Azumi was arrested at Bebeji area of Kano with 386kg skunk on Tuesday 10th March, NDLEA officers in Abuja recovered 282.2kg skunk from a suspect Isah Wako, 42, in Gwagwalada area of the FCT on Friday 13th March.”

“In Edo state, NDLEA operatives raided the Egwa forest reserve in Aduan village, Orhionmwon LGA where a suspect Chinedo Odalonu,33, was apprehended and a total of 4,218.96kg skunk destroyed on two farms with 16.5kg of same substance recovered.”

The agency further disclosed that a major seizure was made at the Apapa seaport in Lagos.

“No fewer than 339,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup were intercepted in two containers at the Apapa seaport in Lagos on Saturday 14th March during a joint examination of the shipments by NDLEA officers, men of Customs and other security agencies. The containers had earlier been watch-listed by NDLEA following credible intelligence on concealment of opioids in them,” the statement added.