Brazil-bound Nigerian nabbed at Lagos Airport with cocaine concealed in private parts, footwear

Stanley Ihedigbo

A Nigeria-based businessman returning from Brazil, Uche Franklin Onyekwere, was arrested by the NDLEA at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport for attempting to smuggle cocaine hidden in his private parts and the soles of his shoes.

According to the Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, Onyekwere was arrested on Thursday, 29th January 2026, during the inward clearance of South African Airways flight passengers arriving from Brazil via Johannesburg, following processed intelligence.

When the 47-year-old suspect was subjected to a full-body scan, the results confirmed illicit drug concealment.

As a result, he was subjected to a strip search, during which a large parcel of white powdery substance—later tested positive for cocaine—was discovered wrapped around his right thigh.

A further search revealed two additional wraps of the same substance concealed in the soles of a pair of flat shoes worn by the suspect. In all, three large wraps of cocaine, with a gross weight of 1.60 kilograms, were recovered from his body and footwear.

During a preliminary interview, the suspect revealed he purchased the illicit drug consignment in Brazil with the intention of reselling the cocaine in Nigeria to raise capital for his business and to finance the naming ceremony of his newborn child.

The suspect, who resides at Rua Ever, Mulariuha, São Paulo, claimed that he has been living in Brazil since 2008 and has been operating a toy business for about nine years.

At Tincan Seaport in Lagos, a total of 55 jumbo bags of Canadian Loud—a potent strain of cannabis with a gross weight of 1,183 kilograms imported from Montreal, Canada—was discovered on Wednesday, 28th January, during a joint examination of the shipment by NDLEA officers, Customs, and other security agencies.

The illicit consignment was hidden inside two vehicles: a Hyundai SUV and a Toyota Matrix.

In Niger State, NDLEA operatives, acting on credible intelligence in the early hours of Tuesday, 26th January, intercepted a long truck marked T 31589 LA along the Dei-Dei Abuja Expressway. They arrested a trio—Andy Chidogu (49), Kenneth Ogene (45), and Sadiq Olanrewaju (27)—for conveying 176 bags of skunk, a strain of cannabis weighing 2,735 kilograms, and 1 kilogram of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis, concealed in the truck.

Investigations revealed that Kenneth Ogene, the truck driver, left Lagos on 23rd January loaded with 800 bags of flour bound for Ekpoma, Edo State, arriving the following day. In Ekpoma, he negotiated to transport the 176 bags of skunk and 1 kg of Colos for N1.7 million.

In another interdiction, NDLEA operatives in Edo State on Tuesday, 27th January, arrested Shaibu Yusuf along the Auchi-Abuja Expressway while looking for a vehicle to convey 66 bags of skunk concealed in bags of charcoal, weighing 792 kg, to Katsina.

Also in Edo, operatives, supported by Nigerian Army personnel on Wednesday, 28th January, raided a cannabis farm at Ebora Camp, Ilushi, in Esan South East LGA, destroying 4,063.675 kg of skunk over 1.6 hectares of farmland.

Additionally, 328 kg of processed cannabis and seeds were recovered. Suspects arrested at the camp included Jeremiah Nwodeh (46), Chukwudi Pius (33), Pius Ogaba (46), and Onora Kwene (35).

In Anambra State, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, 28th January, intercepted a cement truck at Upper Iweka, Onitsha, heading to Nkpor. A search of the trailer revealed that bags of cement were used to conceal 345.2 kg of skunk owned by Abum Okeke (42), one of the three occupants of the truck.

In Ondo State, at least two suspects—Tunde Ogundele (39) and Soji Elegbelye (46)—were arrested on Monday, 26th January, at Eleyewo community in Akure North in connection with the seizure of 473 kg of skunk. Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Kano on the same day arrested Abdullahi Usman (45) at Murtala Muhammed Way, recovering 12,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection from him. Not less than 4,390 pills of tramadol were seized from another suspect, Musa Shuaibu (42), when arrested in Gaya, Kano, on Tuesday, 27th January.

In Lagos, Oragwan Ekene was arrested on Friday, 30th January, at Okeyson Park, Alaba, with 15.5 kg of skunk heading to Onitsha, Anambra State. Additionally, 3.5 kg of the same substance was recovered from a sound system and two packets of cereal found in the luggage of Omang Peter Edward at the Seme border tarmac in Badagry on Tuesday, 27th January. The suspect was coming from Cotonou, Benin Republic.

Across all commands and formations nationwide, NDLEA officers continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities.

These included WADA enlightenment lectures to students and staff of Government Day Junior Secondary School, Jaji Maji, Yobe; Boys Technical College, Aba, Abia; Government Technical and Vocational College, Obollo Orie, Enugu; St. John’s R.C.M. Primary School, Odomola Eredo, Epe, Lagos; Yandaki Primary School, Kaita, Katsina; and Seed of Life College, Ibadan, Oyo State, among others.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Tincan, Niger, Lagos, Edo, Anambra, Ondo, and Kano Commands for the arrests, seizures, and their professionalism, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue the current balanced approach to drug supply and demand reduction efforts.