The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a businessman, Ejiofor Godwin, for allegedly trafficking cocaine concealed in his stomach and private part.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, spokesperson of the agency, the 52-year-old suspect was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
Godwin, who reportedly runs boutiques in Lagos and Onitsha, was arrested on October 8 after arriving from Bangkok, Thailand, aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight. His arrest followed credible intelligence linking him to drug trafficking activities.
“Upon his arrival, he was subjected to a body scan which confirmed he ingested illicit drugs and also concealed some in his private part,” Babafemi revealed.
The agency recovered 58 wraps of cocaine from his underwear, while subsequent observation led to the excretion of 69 additional wraps, bringing the total to 127. The cocaine, weighing 1.388 kilograms, was classified as a class-A drug.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives also intercepted multiple drug consignments at a courier company in Lagos bound for the United Kingdom.
The shipments contained substances including 1.74 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in glass ceramics, as well as tramadol and pentazocine injections concealed in various packages.
Further operations thwarted attempts to export skunk, tapentadol, and cocaine to Turkey, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Babafemi added that at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, officers intercepted 27,510 pills of rohypnol disguised in sachets of alcoholic drinks bound for South Africa.
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Follow-up operations led to the arrest of the alleged mastermind, 46-year-old Samuel Omoruyi, popularly known as “Yellow,” at the Oyingbo market in Lagos.
In a separate incident, Italy-based businessman Enehizena Uyimwen was arrested for attempting to smuggle thousands of tramadol and tapentadol tablets concealed in food items to Italy.
He allegedly confessed to trafficking the drugs for a fee of €945.
NDLEA’s operations extended across several states, including Edo, Osun, Rivers, Katsina, and Ondo, where large quantities of skunk and other illicit substances were recovered.
Babafemi said the agency remains committed to its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, with sensitisation efforts ongoing in schools, workplaces, and communities to raise awareness about the dangers of substance abuse.