NDLEA arrests Brazil-based businessman with 6.10kg cocaine at MMIA

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a Brazil-based businessman over the alleged importation of 6.10kg of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The agency made the disclosure on Sunday, June 14, 2026, through its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, stating that the suspect was intercepted on arrival from Brazil via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during a routine luggage search.

The suspect was found with cocaine concealed in clothing items, including shirts and towels, which had been soaked, dried, and ironed to evade detection.

What they are saying

The NDLEA said the suspect was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport after operatives discovered cocaine hidden in clothing items.

• The agency said the drugs were concealed in shirts and towels soaked in liquid cocaine, then dried and ironed to avoid detection. The suspect was identified as 41-year-old Abugu Oliver Ikechukwu, a Brazil-based businessman.
• “A 41-year-old Sao Paulo Brazil based businessman, Abugu Oliver Ikechukwu has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for importing shirts and towels impregnated with 6.10 kilograms of liquid cocaine from the South American country into Nigeria,” the statement read.
• The NDLEA said he travelled from São Paulo via Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airlines flight and was placed under surveillance before the search.

It added that he claimed to have lived in Brazil for over 14 years, where he runs an African restaurant, and said he was visiting Nigeria to see his wife and buy food items in bulk.

The agency said the interception reflects continued intelligence-led operations targeting South America–West Africa trafficking routes.

More insights

The NDLEA also conducted coordinated operations across several states, leading to arrests and drug seizures.

In Abia, a 60-year-old woman with a disability was arrested with 1.8kg of skunk.

In Rivers, a 28-year-old man with a disability was caught with methamphetamine, tramadol, diazepam, and cannabis.

• In Delta, operatives intercepted 2.8kg of “Loud” cannabis hidden in gas cylinders. In Gombe, two suspects were arrested with 2.7kg of skunk.
• In Kano, 6,000 tablets of tramadol were seized along the Zaria–Kano corridor. In Kwara, two suspects were arrested with 304kg of cannabis concealed in a jeep.
• In Taraba, a warehouse raid led to the recovery of 1,121.5kg of cannabis. In the FCT, drugs including tramadol, pregabalin, ecstasy (molly), and codeine syrup were seized.

In Lagos, operatives also recovered 1,102kg of “Ghana Loud” cannabis around Alaba International Market.

The NDLEA said the operations are part of its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign combining enforcement and sensitisation nationwide.

What you should know

The arrest comes amid intensified NDLEA operations across Nigeria, with rising seizures and convictions.

The agency recorded 974 convictions in Q1 2026, including 11 drug kingpins sentenced to a combined 254 years in prison.

• It has also secured major maritime convictions. In May 2025, 10 Thai sailors and the vessel MV Chayanee Naree were convicted over cocaine smuggling at Apapa seaport, attracting a $4.36 million fine.
• In another case, a Federal High Court in Lagos convicted an Indian merchant vessel and crew over cocaine importation, imposing a $6 million penalty.

The NDLEA has also arrested several high-profile cartel figures following intelligence-led operations across Lagos and other states.

The latest Lagos airport interception highlights the agency’s continued focus on disrupting air, sea, and land trafficking routes.