The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has intercepted a 42-year-old Angolan businessman, Mbala Abuba, for attempting to smuggle cocaine to Istanbul, Turkey.
Abuba, a native of Zaire Province in Angola, was apprehended on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano while attempting to board Egypt Air flight MS 880 en route to Istanbul via Cairo.
According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, a body scan revealed that the suspect had ingested illicit substances, prompting authorities to place him under close observation.
“After several hours, he excreted 120 pellets of cocaine, weighing 1.829 kilograms, in seven rounds,” Babafemi stated in a release on Sunday.
Abuba reportedly told investigators that he was previously involved in the township delivery business in Angola before venturing into drug trafficking.
In a separate operation, NDLEA officers thwarted an attempt by Okeke Igwe, an auto spare parts dealer, to smuggle 1.10kg of cocaine concealed in vehicle propellers to Angola.
Igwe was arrested on Monday, February 24, 2025, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos following credible intelligence.
Babafemi explained, “A similar attempt by an auto spare parts dealer, Okeke Ebuka Igwe, to send two parcels of 1.10kg cocaine concealed in vehicle propellers to Angola through the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos, was thwarted by NDLEA operatives who arrested him on Monday 24th February following credible intelligence.”
During questioning, Igwe claimed he was a businessman dealing in auto parts at ASPANDA, Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, Lagos.
In another development, NDLEA operatives, after weeks of surveillance, apprehended Ezechi Cyprian on Sunday, February 23, 2025, while transporting 5.40kg of cocaine in a Toyota Sienna to Owerri, Imo State.
On Friday, February 28, 2025, NDLEA officers, in collaboration with Customs and other security agencies, uncovered 128 parcels of Canadian Loud (a highly potent strain of cannabis) hidden inside two mattresses in a Toyota Venza imported from Canada.
Babafemi confirmed, “The discovery of the 63.75kg consignment was made during a joint examination of a targeted container marked TCNU 1945861 from Montreal, Canada, by NDLEA, Customs, and other security agencies. The consignee of the shipment, 44-year-old Bamidele Joseph, has been arrested and taken into custody.”
NDLEA operatives, backed by military personnel, stormed a 20-hectare cannabis farm in Innam-Abbi/Orogun, Ndokwa West LGA, Delta State, destroying over 50,000kg of illicit crops.
Five individuals were taken into custody, including Augustine Subaru (45), Ukoba Malachukwu (53), Odalonu Emmanuel (40), Esuabom Macaulay (35), and Itoje Safe (54).
Additionally, on Friday, February 28, NDLEA operatives intercepted a Mercedes Benz truck with registration number AWK 791 ZJ along the Abraka-Orogun road. A search revealed 101 bags of skunk weighing a total of 1,111kg.
Warehouse Uncovered in Edo State
A similar operation in Edo State saw NDLEA and military operatives storm the Okpuje community in Owan West LGA on Saturday, March 1, 2025. The raid resulted in the seizure of 1,409.5kg of skunk and the destruction of over 100 jumbo bags of the substance stored in warehouses.
Suspects arrested during the operation were identified as Oikelomen Osere Monday (38) and Glory Iroyo (42).
Additional Arrest Across Multiple States
In Oyo State, NDLEA operatives arrested Michael Omoloki (46) at the Ibadan end of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway with 58.5kg of skunk.
In Kwara State, authorities nabbed a Beninese national, Lawali Mohammed, on Monday, February 24, with 2,980 tramadol tablets and dozens of diazepam pills along the Eiyenkorin expressway in Ilorin.
In Osun State, a patrol team intercepted a consignment of 1.05kg skunk concealed in detergent soap and a biscuit carton along the Ibadan-Gbongan expressway on Thursday, February 27. A suspect, Sunday Ogbu (45), was arrested in connection with the seizure.
In Zamfara State, Ayuba Mustapha (30) was apprehended in Tsafe on Sunday, February 23, with 24,700 tramadol pills.
In Borno State, NDLEA officers arrested Mustapha Shettima (50) along Bama road in Maiduguri on Wednesday, February 26, with 31kg of skunk, 1,000 tramadol pills, and N720,000 in cash.
In Kano, Adamu Idris (40) was caught the same day along Zaria road with 140 blocks of cannabis, weighing 73.5kg.
These coordinated efforts underscore NDLEA’s intensified crackdown on drug trafficking across the country.
