Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted cocaine concealed in food flasks bound for the United Kingdom, the agency announced on Sunday.
The NDLEA disclosed that 12 large parcels of cocaine weighing 2.80 kilograms were discovered hidden in the false bottom of food flasks at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos. The illicit consignment was scheduled for shipment via a Virgin Atlantic flight to the UK.
According to a statement signed by the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the interception took place on April 9, 2026, leading to the arrest of two cargo agents, Ama Obinna Ufeim, 33, and Ogabi Monday Akorede, 39. Further investigations identified the sender as a 52-year-old freight forwarder, Agoro Tajudeen Moninuola, who was subsequently apprehended.
In a separate operation at the airport’s import shed, NDLEA officers on April 8 intercepted 2.90 kilograms of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, concealed in snack food packs arriving from the United States aboard a Delta Air Lines flight. Two clearing agents were initially arrested, while the consignee, a 29-year-old fashion designer, was later nabbed at his residence in Ogba, Lagos.
In Kaduna State, operatives intercepted a cement-laden trailer along the Kaduna-Zaria highway, recovering 847 kilograms of skunk hidden within the cargo. The truck driver was arrested.
In Cross River State, a joint operation involving NDLEA officers and soldiers led to the arrest of a 53-year-old woman during a raid on a forest in Akamkpa Local Government Area. The operation resulted in the destruction of 15,000 kilograms of skunk cultivated on six hectares of farmland.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives raided a cannabis farm in Ovia North East Local Government Area, destroying 2,281.43 kilograms of the substance and arresting three suspects.
Commending the efforts of officers across multiple commands, NDLEA Chairman Mohamed Buba Marwa praised the balance between enforcement and public education, charging operatives to sustain the momentum in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
