The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended 59-year-old businessman Chijioke Igbokwe after recovering 81 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.943 kilograms from his stomach. The illicit drugs, worth millions of naira, were seized at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, Igbokwe was arrested on January 26 during the inward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight. A body scan revealed the presence of drugs in his system, leading to his immediate detention under excretion observation.
Investigations revealed that Igbokwe, a clothing trader from Arena, Oshodi, Lagos, had traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 22. On January 23, he ingested 81 wraps of cocaine before boarding a flight to Beirut, Lebanon, to deliver the consignment in exchange for $3,000. However, Lebanese authorities denied him entry due to insufficient funds (less than the required $2,000 minimum), leading to his deportation back to Addis Ababa.
While stranded in Ethiopia, he unsuccessfully attempted to excrete the drugs. On January 25, he returned to Lagos still carrying the illicit substances and was intercepted by NDLEA officers upon arrival.
Over the next five days, he excreted only 24 of the 81 pellets despite medical intervention at NDLEA’s facility and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja. As time passed and his condition worsened due to underlying health complications, doctors performed an emergency exploratory laparotomy on January 30 to extract the remaining 57 pellets from his stomach.
Following his successful surgery, NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, commended the MMIA strategic command for their vigilance and professionalism in handling the case.
Authorities have reiterated their zero tolerance for drug trafficking, warning potential offenders about the dangers and consequences of such criminal activities.
