NDLEA Busts Cocaine Hidden in Food Flasks, Arrests Fashion Designer

By Zainab Uzomah| Abuja

Cocaine concealed in food flasks and cannabis hidden in snack packs have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, leading to multiple arrests, including a fashion designer.

According to a statement signed by the agency’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the cocaine shipment weighing 2.80 kilograms was discovered in 12 parcels hidden in false bottoms of food flasks bound for the United Kingdom via a Virgin Atlantic flight on April 9, 2026.

Two cargo agents, Ama Obinna Ufeim, 33, and Ogabi Monday Akorede, 39, were arrested at the airport, while further investigation led to the arrest of the alleged sender, Agoro Tajudeen Moninuola, 52, in a follow-up operation.

In a related development, NDLEA operativesintercepted 2.90 kilograms of “Loud”, a strong strain of cannabis, concealed in snack packs arriving from the United States aboard a Delta Airlines flight on April 8.

Two clearing agents, Animashaun Moshood Adetunji and Mercy Gabriel Oluwasegun, were initially arrested, while the consignee, Saheed Adeshina Adegoke, a 29-year-old fashion designer, was later apprehended at his residence in Ogba, Lagos.

Beyond the airport seizures, NDLEA operations across several states led to the recovery of large quantities of illicit drugs and the arrest of suspects.

In Kaduna, operatives intercepted a truck conveying cement along the Kaduna-Zaria highway and recovered 847 kilograms of skunk concealed in 760 blocks and 33 jumbo bags. The driver, Umar Garba Haruna, 33, was arrested.

In Cross River State, a forest raid in Uwet community, Akamkpa Local Government Area, led to the destruction of 15,000 kilograms of skunk cultivated on six hectares of farmland, while 119 kilograms were recovered and a suspect, Alice Sunday Udoh, 53, arrested.

Similarly, in Edo State, NDLEA operatives raided a cannabis farm in Saboro camp, Ovia North East LGA, destroying 2,281.43 kilograms of skunk and arresting three suspects: Nweke Smart, 27; Christopher Egbe, 62; and Monday Ayan, 45. In Delta State, two suspects, Sunday Odili, 49, and Ijenebe Joshua, 39, were arrested with 87.838 kilograms of cannabis and seeds.

In Lagos, operatives arrested Chinedu Ogbekene and Zindozin Aloukou Bienvenu along the Mile 2–Badagry Expressway while transporting 11,900 capsules of tramadol and 400 ampoules of phenobarbital injection to Ghana. A separate raid at a building on Lagos Island led to the recovery of 95.8 kilograms of skunk.

The agency also said its commands nationwide sustained anti-drug abuse sensitisation campaigns in schools and communities under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative.

NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations across Lagos, Kaduna, Edo, Delta and Cross River States, urging them to sustain the momentum in curbing drug trafficking and abuse across the country.