By Omoyeni Ojeifo
A desperate attempt to smuggle cocaine out of Nigeria has been foiled by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), with a 30-year-old Italy-based businessman, Joseph Cyril, arrested after ingesting 98 wraps of the drug at Enugu airport.
According to the NDLEA, Cyril was arrested at the departure hall of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on Sunday, August 2, 2026, during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET930.
The suspect, who was travelling to Italy through Addis Ababa and France, was subsequently placed under excretion observation, during which he expelled 98 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.510 kilograms.
Details of the operation were revealed in a statement emailed to Persecondnews by NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemk on Sunday.
The agency explained that investigations showed Cyril arrived in Nigeria from Italy on July 13, 2026, and ingested the cocaine at a hotel in Awka, Anambra State, before travelling to Enugu to board his flight to Europe.
During interrogation, Cyril said he had been doing business in Italy for years before accepting to transport the consignment for €3,500, which he intended to use to raise money to relocate to Germany, where his resides.
In another successful interdiction, NDLEA operatives also stopped attempts by drug trafficking syndicates to export 1.2 kilograms of cocaine, concealed in 25 pieces of phone chargers to Saudi Arabia through a courier company in Lagos.
Similarly, an attempt to ship 500 grams of the same Class A drug to Italy was also thwarted on Monday, August 3, 2026, after operatives discovered the cocaine hidden inside the false bottom of a backpack at another logistics company in Lagos.
Elsewhere in Lagos on Tuesday, August 4, operatives seized a consignment containing 2.3 kilograms of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, which was coming from the United States through another shipping company.
On the same day, Tuesday, August 4, NDLEA officers conducting patrols along the Akure-Ilesha Expressway intercepted a truck heading to the northern part of the country with 1,633 kilograms of skunk concealed inside bags of rice shafts.
Two suspects, 40-year-old Buba Jamilu and 30-year-old Sanusi Ibrahim, were arrested in connection with the consignment, while another 147 kilograms of skunk was recovered from Ita Ogbolu forest during a raid on Monday, August 3.
Meanwhile in Oyo State, operatives acting on credible intelligence raided a drug warehouse at Elebure village in Orire Local Government Area on Monday, August 3, recovering 731.03 kilograms of illicit drugs.
A 57-year-old suspect, Felicia Thompson, was arrested during the operation, while her alleged partner, Thompson Vincent Nwaka, is currently on the run .
Similarly, NDLEA operatives supported by soldiers recovered 65 jumbo bags of skunk weighing 604.5 kilograms at Ewe Luleha in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State on Wednesday, August 5.
In Abia State, a drug joint operator, 31-year-old Chibuike Charles, was arrested during a raid at his Samec by Powerline base in Osisioma Local Government Area on Thursday, August 6, with seven kilograms of skunk recovered.
Following a three month long manhunt, operatives of the NDLEA, arrested a notorious wanted drug dealer, Adome Claude Sikuru at the Fibre Market drug jungle in Badagry on Saturday, August 8.
At the time of his arrest, NDLEA operatives recovered 88.5 kilograms of skunk from Sikuru.
Still in Lagos, 73 cartons containing 442 packets of cookies and gummies infused with cannabis, weighing a combined 309.4 kilograms, were discovered during a joint examination of a 40-foot container at the Tincan Port Complex on Tuesday, August 4.
The examination was conducted by NDLEA officers, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies, while a suspect, Larry Nnaji, has already been arrested in connection with the seizure.
Beyond interdiction operations, NDLEA commands and formations across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities during the past week.
The activities included WADA enlightenment lectures for students and staff of Islamic High School, Saki, Oyo State; Holy Ghost Academy, Nkpor, Anambra State; and Madarasatul Hidayatul Aulad Islamiyya, Gaya, Kano State, among others.
The Rivers State Command also conducted a WADA advocacy visit to the management of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, among other activities.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa,lauded officers and men of DOGI, AIIA, Ondo, Oyo, Edo, Abia, Seme and Tincan Commands for the various successful operations.
He charged them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.
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