The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two Nigerian businessmen allegedly attempting to smuggle 200 wraps of cocaine from Abuja to Paris, France, while a woman was apprehended with 266 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.
The arrests were part of a series of operations conducted by the agency across several states, leading to the seizure of large quantities of illicit drugs, ammunition and other controlled substances.
According to the NDLEA, the two businessmen, identified as Aliocus Godian Odife and Sam Blackborn, were intercepted on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, during the outward clearance of an Air France flight, AF 832, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
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A body scan conducted on the suspects revealed foreign objects in their stomachs, prompting officers to place them under observation.
Odife, who reportedly resides in France and works in a factory, had arrived in Nigeria on October 21 for a short holiday.
During interrogation, he allegedly admitted to swallowing 110 wraps of cocaine. He subsequently excreted all the wraps, which weighed 1.901 kilogrammes.
His co-traveller, Blackborn, reportedly confessed to ingesting 90 wraps of cocaine. He also excreted all 90 wraps under observation.
The cocaine recovered from both suspects weighed a combined 3.460 kilogrammes.
Woman Arrested With 266 AK-47 Ammunition
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives arrested a woman identified as Aisha Isah at a toll gate along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.
The agency said 266 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition were recovered from her during a patrol operation.
Meanwhile, operatives in Lagos intercepted two commercial buses suspected of transporting cannabis.
The first operation took place along Kudirat Abiola Way, Ikeja, on Sunday, October 25, where officers recovered 537 kilogrammes of skunk from a white Volkswagen LT 28 bus.
Another operation along the Gbagada-Oshodi Expressway led to the seizure of an additional 439 kilogrammes of the substance from a brown J5 bus.
In Oyo State, two suspects, Oguntona Nasiru, 46, and Soji Balogun, 47, were arrested on Thursday, October 29, while allegedly loading 554 kilogrammes of skunk into a Volvo truck at Idere Road, Igboora.
The operation targeted a suspected drug dealer identified as Omo Oba, who reportedly escaped arrest during an earlier operation.
NDLEA Recovers Hundreds of Thousands of Drug Tablets in Kano
In Kano State, NDLEA operatives raided a location in the Tsamiya area of Gezawa on Monday, October 26.
The operation resulted in the recovery of 247,500 tablets of diazepam weighing 57.7 kilogrammes and 100,000 tablets of Exol-5 weighing 38.7 kilogrammes.
Another operation in the Dorayi area led to the arrest of Ziya’ulhaq Abdullahi, 35, and Garba Muhammed, 52, with 19,250 tablets of tramadol weighing 13.6 kilogrammes.
On the Zaria-Kano Expressway, operatives also arrested a 68-year-old man, Ifeanyi Egwolonwu, with 2,770 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 100 ampoules of diazepam injection, 11,000 diazepam tablets and 4,500 tablets of Exol-5.
A separate raid in the Tashan Banke area resulted in the arrest of seven suspects and the recovery of 178.85 kilogrammes of cannabis, alongside quantities of diazepam, tramadol, Exol-5 and pregabalin.
Cannabis Farms Raided in Ondo and Edo
In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence raided cannabis farms in Ijare Forest on Sunday, October 25.
Four suspects were arrested, including Bassey Okon, 24; Abraham Edet, 20; and Oto Udo, 24. Officers also recovered 16 bags of processed cannabis weighing 180 kilogrammes.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives, supported by soldiers, raided Eko Camp in Ilushi, Esan South-East Local Government Area, on Wednesday, October 28.
The operation led to the destruction of a cannabis plantation measuring 1.646 hectares, with an estimated yield of 4,115.53 kilogrammes.
A 50-year-old woman, Christiana Uboi, was arrested with 301 kilogrammes of processed cannabis, while another 176 kilogrammes was recovered during the operation.
In Sokoto State, operatives of the agency’s Zone 7 Command arrested a 68-year-old man, Ibrahim Ayuba, on Saturday, October 31, with 236.6 kilogrammes of skunk.
Marwa Commends NDLEA Officers
Reacting to the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers of the agency’s commands in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Ondo, Oyo and Edo for their efforts.
Marwa described the interception of the two cocaine couriers at Abuja airport as a warning to Nigerians who believe living abroad could shield them from international drug trafficking investigations.
He said officers at the country’s entry and exit points remained vigilant, warning that anyone involved in ingesting illicit drugs for financial rewards risked losing their lives and freedom.
The NDLEA chairman also urged officers to sustain the fight against drug trafficking while intensifying public awareness campaigns in schools, religious centres, workplaces and communities.
The agency said its nationwide War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign also continued, with enlightenment activities held in schools across Lagos, Enugu, Kano and Ogun states.
