A 30-year-old Italy-based businessman, Joseph Cyril, has been arrested by operatives of the Nationwide Drug Regulation Enforcement Company (NDLEA) after allegedly ingesting 98 wraps of cocaine for onward transportation to Europe.
Cyril was arrested on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at the departure corridor of the Akanu Ibiam Worldwide Airport (AIIA), Enugu, in the course of the outward clearance of passengers aboard Ethiopian Airways flight ET930.
He was subsequently positioned below excretion remark, throughout which he expelled 98 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.510 kilogrammes.
In keeping with the NDLEA, investigations revealed that Cyril arrived in Nigeria from Italy on July 13 and allegedly ingested the cocaine at a resort in Awka, Anambra State, earlier than travelling to Enugu to board his flight to Europe.
The suspect reportedly informed investigators that he had been doing enterprise in Italy for years earlier than agreeing to site visitors the consignment for €3,500, which he stated he wanted to boost funds to relocate to Germany, the place his household is predicated.
The NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrest in a press release on Sunday, including that it was a part of a collection of operations that resulted within the interception of cocaine shipments and enormous consignments of hashish throughout a number of components of the nation.
Babafemi stated makes an attempt by drug trafficking syndicates to maneuver cocaine by worldwide courier channels had been additionally foiled in Lagos.
In keeping with him, “1.2 kilograms of cocaine hid in 25 items of cellphone chargers going to Saudi Arabia” was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at a courier firm in Lagos.
He added {that a} separate try to export “500 grams of the identical Class A drug hidden within the false backside of a backpack to Italy” was additionally foiled at one other logistics firm.
In one other operation in Lagos, Babafemi stated NDLEA operatives intercepted “2.3kg of Loud, an artificial pressure of hashish, coming from the USA” at a transport firm.
In Ondo State, officers on patrol alongside the Akure-Ilesha Expressway intercepted a truck conveying 1,633kg of skunk hid in luggage of rice shafts.
Two suspects, 40-year-old Buba Jamilu and 30-year-old Sanusi Ibrahim, had been arrested in reference to the consignment.
Babafemi stated the Ondo State Command additionally recovered 147kg of skunk throughout a raid on Ita Ogbolu Forest.
In Oyo State, NDLEA operatives performing on credible intelligence raided a drug warehouse at Elebure village in Orire Native Authorities Space, recovering 731.03kg of hashish.
A 57-year-old suspect, Felicia Thompson, was arrested, whereas her alleged confederate, Thompson Vincent Nwaka, stays at giant.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives, supported by troopers, recovered 65 jumbo luggage of skunk weighing 604.5kg throughout an operation at Ewe Luleha in Owan West Native Authorities Space.
In Abia State, a suspected drug joint operator, 31-year-old Chibuike Charles, was arrested throughout a raid on his Samec by Powerline base in Osisioma Native Authorities Space. Officers recovered 7kg of skunk from the operation.
In the meantime, a suspected infamous drug supplier, Adome Claude Sikuru, was arrested in Lagos on Saturday, August 8, following a three-month manhunt.
Sikuru was apprehended at the Fibre Market drug jungle in Badagry, the place 88.5kg of skunk was recovered from him.
On the Tin Can Island Port Advanced in Lagos, NDLEA officers, working alongside the Nigeria Customs Service and different safety businesses, found 73 cartons containing 442 packets of cannabis-infused cookies and gummies weighing 309.4kg.
The illicit consignment was uncovered throughout a joint examination of a 40-foot container. A suspect, Larry Nnaji, was arrested in reference to the seizure.
Babafemi stated the collection of seizures mirrored the company’s continued efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks working throughout the nation.
He added that NDLEA instructions and formations had been sustaining their preventive campaigns by the Conflict In opposition to Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative.
In keeping with him, “Instructions and formations of the Company throughout the nation continued their Conflict In opposition to Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization actions to colleges, worship centres, workplaces and communities amongst others previously week.”
The marketing campaign included enlightenment lectures for college kids and workers of Islamic Excessive College, Saki, Oyo State; Holy Ghost Academy, Nkpor, Anambra State; and Madarasatul Hidayatul Aulad Islamiyya, Gaya, Kano State.
The Rivers State Command additionally paid a WADA advocacy go to to the administration of Ignatius Ajuru College of Training, Port Harcourt.
Commending the officers and males of the DOGI, AIIA, Ondo, Oyo, Edo, Abia, Seme and Tin Can Instructions for his or her profitable operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Government Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), urged them and their colleagues nationwide to maintain the company’s ongoing drug management efforts.
Marwa, in line with Babafemi, “enjoined them and their colleagues throughout the nation to proceed with the continuing balanced strategy to the drug management efforts of the Company.”
The newest operations kind a part of the NDLEA’s continued crackdown on the trafficking of cocaine and different illicit medicine by airports, courier firms, ports, highways and drug distribution networks throughout the nation.
