The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 38-year-old businesswoman, Iwebema Ogechi Peace, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 7.5 kilograms of cocaine to China through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
According to the statement by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja. Iwebema, who claimed she regularly travels to China to purchase goods for sale in Nigeria, was arrested on Sunday, June 21, 2026, while preparing to board a Qatar Airways flight to Beijing. Acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives searched her checked luggage and discovered four large parcels of cocaine concealed in a professionally constructed false bottom.
In another major operation, the agency recovered 4,959 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, valued at N12.397 billion in street value, during a joint inspection at the Apapa Port Complex in Lagos.
The illicit consignment, hidden inside a 40-foot container carrying Ford and Nissan vehicles, had been under NDLEA surveillance for more than four weeks. The shipment originated from Toronto, Canada, and transited through Montreal and Morocco before arriving in Lagos.
NDLEA Busts Drug Syndicate, Makes Fresh Arrests
The agency also dismantled a syndicate that allegedly plants illicit drugs in the luggage of unsuspecting passengers at motor parks.
The operation began after NDLEA officers intercepted a methamphetamine consignment aboard a commercial Sienna bus travelling from Nnewi, Anambra State, to Abuja. A follow-up investigation led to the arrest of the intended recipient, Mrs. Gloria Peter, who denied ownership of the package. Further investigations exposed the involvement of the bus loader and driver, who allegedly concealed the drugs in her luggage without her knowledge before identifying another passenger, Onyebuchi Victor Okoye, as the true owner. The recovered methamphetamine weighed 467.7 grams.
On Saturday, June 27, NDLEA operatives also arrested 57-year-old Ikechukwu Uwakwe at Iddo Motor Park in Lagos with 209.5 kilograms of Scottish Loud, another strong cannabis strain, allegedly destined for Enugu State.
In a separate operation, two nationals of the Republic of Benin, Hossou Tito Julien, 30, and Mancellim Dossou, 19, alongside Nigerian suspect Jackson ThankGod, were arrested on the Mile 2 Bridge in Lagos after operatives intercepted their truck transporting illicit drugs from Togo through Benin Republic.
A search of the vehicle uncovered 558,900 pills of Tramadol 250mg concealed inside a fabricated compartment of the truck.
Similarly, Lucky Abonga and Osas Azamobo were arrested along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway while transporting 118 kilograms of skunk concealed among legitimate goods in a truck travelling from Lagos to Onitsha.
In another Lagos operation, Helen Ese Idiji, 40, and Rashidat Sa’adullah, 53, were arrested at Olumokun Street, Amukoko, with 28.8 kilograms of skunk. Investigations revealed that Helen allegedly stored the drugs at Rashidat’s residence before distributing them to customers.
WADA Campaign Continues Nationwide
Beyond enforcement operations, the NDLEA said it continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign across schools and communities nationwide, including institutions in Yobe, Lagos, Kano, Kogi and Enugu states.
Commending officers involved in the various operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised their efforts in reducing drug supply while sustaining public awareness campaigns against drug abuse. He urged personnel across the country to remain committed to the agency’s mandate.
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