The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 25-year-old newlywed businessman, Lovely Chukwulobelu, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, for allegedly ingesting 72 wraps of cocaine to traffic the drug to Portugal. Chukwulobelu was intercepted at the airport's departure hall on Thursday, September 25, 2026, while preparing to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Portugal via Addis Ababa.
According to the NDLEA, Chukwulobelu, who lives in Portugal, had previously operated a car decoration business at the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, Lagos, before relocating to Portugal in May 2023. He reportedly returned to Nigeria recently and got married on September 13, 2026. The suspect told investigators that he turned to drug trafficking to offset expenses incurred during his wedding.
The NDLEA said Chukwulobelu was placed under observation and subsequently excreted all 72 wraps of cocaine. The agency described the arrest as a significant blow to the drug trafficking syndicate operating in the country. The suspect is currently facing charges for drug trafficking.
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives seized 2.55 million pills of opioid, weighing 1,640.55kg, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. The consignments, imported from India and Bangladesh, were intercepted during the examination of three monitored shipments. The NDLEA described the seizure as one of its biggest opioid interceptions of the year.
The NDLEA also made several other seizures and arrests across the country. In Bauchi State, the agency arrested two suspects with 300 compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 262.5kg. In Edo State, NDLEA operatives destroyed two cannabis farms with a combined estimated yield of 1,360.23kg. The agency also arrested two women in Lagos with 3.4kg of cannabis.
The NDLEA's War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns continued across the country, with recent campaigns held in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities. The agency's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended personnel involved in the operations and urged them to sustain the agency's approach to drug control.
The NDLEA's efforts to curb drug trafficking and abuse have yielded significant results, with several high-profile seizures and arrests made in recent weeks. The agency's commitment to ridding the country of the drug menace has been praised by stakeholders and the general public. The NDLEA's operations have also led to the destruction of several cannabis farms and the arrest of suspects trafficking various types of drugs.
Key points
- NDLEA arrests 25-year-old groom with 72 cocaine wraps at Enugu airport
- Agency seizes 2.55 million opioid pills in Lagos
- NDLEA continues War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns across Nigeria
