NDLEA operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja have arrested a 74-year-old man, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, for attempting to smuggle a significant cache of drugs. The suspect was intercepted on Saturday at the airport’s departure hall.
The arrest occurred during routine security checks while Emeka was preparing to board a British Airways flight bound for London. Despite his claim that he was traveling to the United Kingdom for a vacation, officials grew suspicious of his belongings.
A thorough search of his luggage revealed 11 kilogrammes of cocaine hidden within various food items. To evade detection, the illicit substance had been wrapped in foil papers and balloons, then buried inside containers of ground dry pepper.
Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, confirmed the incident in a statement released on Sunday. He noted that the elderly suspect is currently in custody as investigations continue into the source and intended destination of the shipment.
This high-profile interception is part of a broader, intensified crackdown by the agency. According to Babafemi, the NDLEA has successfully executed a series of coordinated operations across Nigeria over the past week to disrupt major drug trafficking routes.
