…as NDLEA intercepts cocaine consignment bound for London from Lagos prison
…Kolos production factory in Lekki unveiled
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA on Sunday said a China-based Nigerian businessman, Ibenu Vincent Chukwudulu and two Angolan nationals, namely Mbandu Martins Makiadi and Ngoma Wilson Fernando, had smuggled in a total of 236 packets of cocaine.
NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said this followed their arrest by operatives of the agency at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano respectively.
The agency said Ibinu, 34, was arrested on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, while on board Qatar Airways flight 1432 from Kano to China via Abuja/Doha.
He said, “Acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives at the Abuja airport demanded the deboarding of the suspect, after which he was taken for a body scan. The results confirmed that the suspect had consumed illicit drugs.”
According to the NDLEA, he was then placed under surveillance, during which he recovered a total of 52 cocaine tablets, weighing 735.95 grams.
In his statement, Ibinu said he was doing business on Lagos Island before relocating to Guangzhou, China in 2024.
Mbundu Martins Makidi, 50, and Ngoma Wilson Fernando, 52, both Angolans, were stopped at the screening point of the departure hall of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, on Wednesday February 4 during the outward clearance of passengers bound for Istanbul, Turkey via Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940.
“When he was taken for a body scan, he tested positive for illicit drug consumption. As a result, he was placed under observation for possible emissions. While Mbandu emitted a total of 76 pellets weighing 920 grams in seven emissions, Ngoma exhaled 108 pellets weighing 1.33 kilograms in five emissions.
“During interviews, the suspects, who hail from Hoji or Henda in Luanda, the capital of Angola, claimed that they were recruited by a Luanda-based automobile spare parts dealer who promised to pay $3000 each upon successful delivery of the consignment to Turkey.
The NDLEA also revealed that an attempt to export 1.10 kilograms of cocaine concealed in cassava granules processed by a convicted drug kingpin, Olashupo Michael Oladimeji, popularly known as Garry, to London, United Kingdom on a Virgin Atlantic flight was foiled by NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos.
According to the Anti-Narcotics Agency, “Olasupo is currently serving a five-year prison sentence at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, Lagos, after the NDLEA arrested him in 2025 on charges of unlawful conspiracy to export 17.90 kilograms of cocaine, and was successfully prosecuted, convicted and sentenced by a Federal High Court in Lagos on charge number FHC/L/925C/2025.
“Not ready to give up his criminal enterprise, the convict, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Dimeji Express Logistics located at 20 Omilade Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos, embarked on the latest scheme to export 1.10 kilograms of cocaine using his company from behind the prison walls.
However, he was busted on Thursday, February 12 when NDLEA officers at the export shed at the Lagos Airport intercepted a consignment of compressed blocks of cocaine concealed in a gunny sack, which was further packed inside a carton.
He said, “Adedeji Yusuf Gbolahan, an employee of Dimeji Express Logistics, who presented the consignment for export was immediately arrested. Investigation revealed that Olashupo Michael Oladimeji initiated the smuggling scheme from prison and directed Yusuf to pick up the consignment at a location in Oshodi.”
The NDLEA said a similar attempt by 44-year-old estate surveyor Adelaja Taiwo Adetayo to export 1.70 kilograms of skunk, concealed in five jerry cans, to the UK was equally frustrated by NDLEA operatives at the export shed at the Lagos airport.
“Mustapha Quddus Opeyemi, a cargo agent who presented the consignment for export, was initially arrested while Adelaja was arrested in the Ahmadiyya area of Lagos on Monday, February 9, in a follow-up operation,” Babafemi said.
This is just as NDLEA operatives in Abuja on Thursday, February 12 intercepted a waybill package sent from Enugu containing a children's toy guitar.
The discovery of the guitar revealed that it had been used to conceal two parcels of Canadian Loud, a species of cannabis, which weighed 59.2 grams.
“A follow-up operation resulted in the arrest of the owner of the consignment, namely Henry Onuma of Dream City Estate, Life Camp,” the NDLEA said.
In Lagos, NDLEA officers on Friday, February 13, raided a 4-bedroom duplex at 2 Alexandria Terrace, Ikate-Elegushi, Lekki, which was used for the production and storage of synthetic Cannabis Colorado.
“The raid followed the seizure of 73 cartons of nitrous oxide at the Iyare Motor Park, Ajah-Epe Expressway, which was a consignment bound for Benin City, Edo State. The driver of the vehicle carrying the shipment, Amos Innocent, was arrested while Victor Oyedeji was apprehended at his Lekki home, where 13.2 kilograms of freshly produced collose in addition to precursor chemicals were recovered.
“A notorious female drug dealer in Ibadan, Oyo State, Oluwemisi Bunmi, 45, was arrested on Wednesday, February 11, at her enclave at Hope Alakia area of the state capital. Recovered from her are: 1.189 kilograms of Kolos, Skunk; 320 grams of Methamphetamine; monetary exhibit of ₦2,975,000 and two cars: a navy blue Toyota Matrix car marked JJJ 629 FQ and a sky blue Toyota Matrix car with registration number LND 602 AQ”, he said.
In another development, about 105,400 tablets of Tramadol were recovered from a suspect identified as Kamilu Abdullahi, 43, when his J5 vehicle DTM-765XA was stopped by operatives of the NDLEA at Bode Sadu area of Kwara State on Thursday, February 12.
“In Edo State, five suspects: Murtala Mohammed, 37; Abdulkadir Idris Mohammed, 29; Ufoma Edafe, 40; Anthony Agathi, 46; and Emmanuel Owalu Ekele, 39, were arrested on Saturday, February 14 when NDLEA operatives raided Yoruba Camp, Olumoye Forest in Ovia North East LGA, where There were 563.5 kilograms of skunk. Recovered”, he explained.
However, the agency announced that in all commands and formations of the agency across the country, NDLEA officers continued the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities over the past week.
These include: WADA Enlightenment Lecture to students and staff of Anglican Grammar School, Ogbomoso, Oyo;
Government Day Secondary School, Yola, Adamawa; Government Secondary School, Tudun Gwandara, Lafia, Nasarawa; Government Girls Technical and Commercial College, Charanchi, Katsina; and Ajumoni Senior Secondary School, Mushin, Lagos, among others.
