Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 55-year-old businessman, Onuigbo Ndubisi Chinedu, over an alleged attempt to export 3.30 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the walls of cartons used to package food items bound for the United Kingdom.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said Chinedu, a clothing trader at the popular Balogun Market on Lagos Island, was arrested on Thursday, July 23, 2026, following the interception of the cocaine shipment at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, a day earlier.
Babafemi disclosed that investigations initially led to the arrest of three cargo agents identified as Nkwor Onyekachukwu Justina, Adeleke Abiola Taoheed and Ukanwa Grace Pilgrim, who handled the shipment.
Their arrest subsequently led to the apprehension of Kenneth Okakpu, who delivered the consignment to the cargo agents for export to the UK.
According to the NDLEA spokesperson, Okakpu’s arrest enabled investigators to identify Chinedu as the alleged kingpin behind the drug trafficking syndicate.
He was eventually arrested while allegedly attempting to send another cocaine consignment to the United Kingdom.
In a separate operation, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, July 21, arrested a 31-year-old entrepreneur, Emmanuella Chukwu-Edo, at her residence in Surulere, Lagos, over her alleged involvement in drug trafficking.
He said the arrest followed the seizure of her 2.80-kilogram consignment of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, which arrived from the United States aboard a United Airlines flight on Monday, July 20.
The agency also announced the interception of a consignment of tramadol concealed inside containers of black soap destined for the United Kingdom.
Babafemi said the shipment was seized by NDLEA operatives at a courier company in Lagos on Wednesday, July 22, as part of ongoing efforts to curb illicit drug trafficking.
