NDLEA Arrests China-Bound Businessman With 95 Wraps of Cocaine at Kano Airport

 Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 62-year-old Lagos-based auto spare parts dealer, Nwabueze Nicholas Izueke, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, for attempting to smuggle cocaine to China by ingesting multiple wraps of the illicit drug.

The suspect was apprehended on Saturday, January 31, 2026, during outward clearance of passengers scheduled to depart Nigeria for China via Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940. According to NDLEA officials, Izueke drew suspicion during routine screening procedures and was subsequently subjected to a body scan, which confirmed that he had ingested illegal substances.

Following the scan result, he was immediately placed under excretion observation by anti-narcotics officers. Over the course of the monitoring period, the suspect expelled a total of 95 jumbo-sized pellets of cocaine in seven separate excretions. The recovered substances weighed approximately 1.589 kilograms, confirming the scale of the attempted trafficking operation.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect operates a clothing and auto spare parts business in Lagos. In his statement to NDLEA officers, he reportedly admitted to engaging in drug trafficking in a bid to raise funds to complete the construction of his country home located in Iwollo, Enugu State.

The agency described the arrest as a major interception that prevented a significant quantity of cocaine from being smuggled out of the country. Officials noted that ingesting drug pellets remains one of the most dangerous smuggling methods used by traffickers, as it poses serious health risks, including the possibility of fatal overdose if any of the wraps burst inside the body.

This latest arrest forms part of a broader nationwide crackdown by the NDLEA on drug trafficking networks and distribution channels. In related operations, the agency also intercepted consignments of methamphetamine concealed in unusual packaging, including yogurt packs and MP3 speakers, in a bid to evade detection. The discovery highlights the evolving tactics used by traffickers to move illicit substances across borders.

In another coordinated raid, NDLEA operatives stormed a clandestine drug manufacturing facility in the Colos area of Ibadan, Oyo State, where a suspected kingpin was arrested. Authorities say the raid led to the recovery of equipment and substances used in the production of illegal drugs, further disrupting the operations of a growing narcotics network.

The agency has consistently warned that traffickers are becoming more creative in concealing drugs, often using household items, electronics, and even ingesting substances to avoid arrest. However, strengthened surveillance, improved scanning technologies, and intelligence-driven operations have continued to yield results.

Security experts have praised the NDLEA’s persistent efforts, noting that international trafficking routes remain a major concern, especially through airports where traffickers attempt to export narcotics to foreign destinations. The arrest at Kano airport underscores the importance of strict screening procedures and ongoing vigilance by security agencies.

Authorities say the suspect will face prosecution after investigations are concluded. Meanwhile, NDLEA reiterated its warning to members of the public against participating in drug trafficking, emphasizing the severe legal consequences and health dangers involved.

The agency also urged Nigerians to report suspicious activities and support ongoing anti-drug campaigns aimed at protecting communities and discouraging criminal networks from operating within the country.

This development adds to a growing list of successful interceptions recorded by the NDLEA in recent months, signaling increased determination by law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking and related crimes nationwide.