NDLEA Arrests India-Bound Businessman, 70-Year-Old Man in Drug Crackdown

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested several suspects and seized large quantities of controlled substances in a series of operations across different parts of Nigeria.

Among those arrested was 48-year-old Nwankwo Innocent Onyebuchi, a businessman who was preparing to travel to New Delhi, India, through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
According to the NDLEA, officers discovered 1.55 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside the walls and railings of his luggage during a search at the airport. He was subsequently taken into custody as investigations into the case continue.

In a separate operation in Oyo State, NDLEA operatives arrested 70-year-old Abdulfatai Oyelaran and 50-year-old Abdulrauf Ajadi along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The agency said the suspects were intercepted in a Toyota Sienna containing 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine and 6,000 ampoules of tramadol, bringing the total number of opioid injections recovered to 58,000.

The arrests were part of a wider crackdown carried out by the agency across several states, including Lagos, Kano, Kwara, Delta, Plateau and Edo.

In Lagos, the NDLEA also reported the recovery of 377,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup from a warehouse in the Ago Palace area of Okota. The agency valued the consignment at more than ₦2.6 billion. Another operation in Ipaja led to the seizure of 324 kilograms of Colorado, a synthetic form of cannabis.

The series of operations highlights the scale of efforts by law enforcement authorities to disrupt the movement and distribution of illicit and controlled drugs in Nigeria.

For Nigerians, the seizures are significant because the circulation of large quantities of drugs and opioids can have consequences beyond the arrests themselves, affecting families, communities and public health. The availability of such substances also raises concerns about drug misuse and the involvement of young people in drug-related activities.

The NDLEA said investigations into the cases are ongoing and suspects found to have violated Nigeria’s drug laws will be prosecuted.