The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested an ex convict, Nwobodo Chidiebere Basil, and three cargo agents after intercepting cocaine concealed in liquid starch sachets and destined for the United Kingdom. NDLEA operatives recovered 75 parcels of cocaine weighing 1.50kg from factory sealed cold water starch sachets at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
Agency spokesman Femi Babafemi said the three cargo agents, Jubrin Firdausi Hassana, Kuku Daniel Oluwasegun and Igwe Chioma Jane, were arrested on Saturday, December 20, 2025, in connection with the shipment. Further investigation linked the consignment to 37 year old Nwobodo, who was picked up the following day at a relaxation centre in Ikeja while on a date with his girlfriend.
Babafemi described Nwobodo as a notorious trafficker who had previously been convicted in 2023 for attempting to ship 30.10kg of methamphetamine to London in powdered custard containers. He was sentenced to five years in prison with an option of a ₦7m fine and one month community service from December 4, 2023, but after paying the fine, allegedly returned to drug trafficking.
In Gombe State, NDLEA officers arrested a 65 year old driver, Sada’u Mohammed, on the Gombe Biu highway while transporting 300 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 27,900 tramadol pills and other opioids to Biu in Borno State. In Lagos, operatives also detained 47 year old businessman Ignatius Egbochie, known as Brown, in connection with an earlier seizure of 56 parcels of loud cannabis weighing 26kg at Tincan Port.
The loud consignment was intercepted on December 10 during a joint examination of a container by NDLEA, Customs and other security agencies. A follow up operation on December 19 led to Ignatius’ arrest in Apapa.
Between December 21 and 25, NDLEA teams destroyed drug warehouses and seized large quantities of cannabis in Ekiti, Edo, Cross River, Abuja, Lagos and Taraba, arresting several suspects. In Ara forest, Ara Ekiti, operatives set ablaze tonnes of skunk and wooden storage structures and recovered 638kg of the same substance.
On the Igara Auchi road in Edo State, officers stopped three Toyota Camry cars and found 1,205 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 883.1kg. In Cross River, raids in Agoi Ibami community, Yakurr LGA, on December 21 led to the arrest of three men with different quantities of skunk: Freedom Jonah Akpama with 671kg, David Itam David with 89kg and Nelson Arikpo Osam with 148kg.
The agency noted that the latest arrests come shortly after the capture of Shodunke Simbiat, a fugitive member of a cocaine syndicate who hid drugs in her children’s room. NDLEA said it remains focused on dismantling trafficking networks and blocking drug exports through Nigerian ports and airports.
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