The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted an Italy-bound businessman with 4.8 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in the soles of shoes and the railings of travelling bags at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The 38-year-old suspect, identified as Philip Tunde, was arrested on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at the joint screening point of Terminal 2 while preparing to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan, Italy.
A statement issued on Sunday by the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said a thorough search of the suspect led to the discovery of 16 parcels of a white powdery substance hidden in the soles of eight pairs of trainers and canvas shoes.
Another 195 wraps of the substance were found concealed in the railings of four travelling bags. The substances tested positive for cocaine and weighed a combined 4.80kg.
During interrogation, Tunde reportedly disclosed that he paid N16 million in cash for the cocaine hidden in the shoes, while the consignment concealed in the bags was intended for delivery to his partner in Italy.
He reportedly said the money used to purchase the cocaine came from compensation paid to him following an injury he sustained while working at a plastic manufacturing company in Italy, where he lost the tips of two fingers.
The airport interception formed part of a series of operations by the agency that also resulted in the seizure of cannabis and codeine-based cough syrup consignments valued at more than N5 billion at major seaports in Lagos and Rivers State.
At the Apapa Port in Lagos, NDLEA operatives, working with Customs and other stakeholders, subjected two containers from Bangkok, Thailand, to 100 per cent examination following intelligence.
A search of one of the containers on September 3 led to the recovery of 161 parcels of Thai Loud weighing 124kg and valued at N372 million. The consignment was concealed inside two refrigerators and two cartons.
At the Onne Port in Rivers State, two watch-listed containers were jointly examined by NDLEA, Customs and other security agencies. One of them contained 40 packs of Loud weighing 22kg, concealed in a travelling bag and three vehicles — a Toyota Matrix, Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra.
The second container contained 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup weighing 16,440kg. According to the agency, the container originated from India and was shipped to Saudi Arabia, where its history of origin was deleted in an attempt to avoid detection.
The combined street value of the codeine and Loud consignments recovered at Onne was put at N833.2 million.
At the Tincan Island Port, Lagos, NDLEA operatives on September 29 conducted a joint examination of a watch-listed container from Montreal, Canada, leading to the seizure of 2,595 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 1,297.5kg.
The cannabis was concealed inside a Toyota Sienna and Hyundai Elantra, alongside 24 blue drums and six jumbo bags. The consignment was valued at more than N3.8 billion.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives destroyed 20,234kg of skunk discovered on 8.0936 hectares of cannabis farm in Area 4, Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State.
In Plateau State, a 41-year-old suspect, Agbo Dennis, was arrested on September 29 at West of Mines, Jos North, following the seizure of 33 bags of skunk weighing 385kg.
In Lagos, operatives raided an unoccupied compound at Divine Estate, Ago Palace, on September 28 and recovered 209,000 tablets of tramadol.
A follow-up operation at Ladipo Spare Parts Market on September 30 also led to the arrest of 23-year-old Ekundayo Taiwo after 61 grammes of Colorado and 24 grammes of methamphetamine were intercepted in a bottle of energy drink packaged as a waybill consignment.
In Kogi State, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Okene-Lokoja highway intercepted a Lagos-Abuja commuter bus on September 30 and recovered two sachets containing 1kg of methamphetamine concealed in a waybill.
A follow-up investigation led to the arrest of the alleged owner of the consignment, 29-year-old Michael Chukwuememka Uzoma, at Utako, Abuja.
In Edo State, operatives raided the residence of 35-year-old Saturday Omimi at Uyere community, Ovia North-East Local Government Area, on October 2 and recovered 32.2kg of cannabis sativa.
The same day, 23-year-old Osazuwa Iyabor Michael was arrested at Auchi Bypass, Benin City, with 59 grammes of Loud, 12 grammes of Colorado, 19 grammes of tramadol, 16 grammes of methamphetamine, four grammes of Swinol and four grammes of Molly.
The agency also announced the arrest of a fugitive, Idris Mohammed Kurra, 47, six years after he allegedly jumped bail while facing trial at the Federal High Court, Jos, Plateau State, over the possession and dealing in 198kg of skunk.
Kurra reportedly jumped bail granted by the court in December 2020 and remained at large until his arrest by NDLEA operatives on September 29, 2026.
Beyond interdiction operations, the agency said its commands and formations across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers and men of the MMIA, Apapa, Tincan, PHPC, Lagos, Edo, Bauchi, Plateau and Osun Commands for what he described as professional and intelligence-driven operations.
Marwa urged them and other personnel across the country to sustain the agency’s efforts against drug trafficking networks while maintaining its current balanced approach to drug control.
