Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended a Brazil-based Nigerian businessman at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) for attempting to smuggle cocaine concealed within his body and footwear.
The arrest was confirmed in a statement released on Sunday, 1 February 2026, by Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy.
The suspect, identified as 47-year-old Uche Franklin Onyekwere, was intercepted on Thursday, 29 January, during the inward clearance of passengers arriving on a South African Airways flight from São Paulo via Johannesburg. Although Onyekwere has reportedly operated a toy business in Brazil since 2008, a full body scan conducted by officials suggested the presence of illicit substances.
Upon a subsequent strip search, officers discovered a significant parcel of white powdery substance, confirmed to be cocaine, wrapped around the suspect’s right thigh. Further inspection revealed two additional wraps secreted within the soles of his flat shoes. In total, 1.60 kilograms of the narcotic were recovered.
Under interrogation, Onyekwere allegedly confessed to purchasing the drugs in Brazil for resale in Nigeria. He cited a desire to raise capital for his business and to fund the naming ceremony of his newborn child as his primary motives.
The arrest of Onyekwere coincides with a series of high-profile operations across the Federation:
Niger State: On the Dei-Dei Abuja expressway, a truck ostensibly carrying flour was found to be transporting 176 bags of “skunk” (a potent cannabis strain) weighing 2,735 kilograms, alongside synthetic cannabis known as “Colorado.” Three suspects were detained.
Tincan Seaport: Officials uncovered 1,183 kilograms of “Canadian Loud” imported from Montreal. The narcotics were ingeniously hidden within a container housing a Hyundai SUV and a Toyota Matrix.
Anambra State: A cement truck intercepted at Upper Iweka, Onitsha, was found to be concealing 345.2 kilograms of cannabis amidst its cargo.
Edo State: A joint operation with the Nigerian Army resulted in the destruction of over four tonnes of cannabis across a 1.6-hectare farmland at Ebora camp. Elsewhere in the state, a suspect was apprehended with 792 kilograms of skunk destined for Katsina.
The NDLEA also highlighted several other recent successes involving sophisticated concealment methods. At the Lagos and Port Harcourt airports, two traffickers were recently detained after ingesting a combined total of 125 wraps of heroin.
The Agency noted that these incidents follow a pattern of intensified smuggling attempts. Previous months saw the arrests of a Canada-based nurse with cannabis hidden in luggage and an auto parts dealer who attempted to export cocaine pellets secreted within a brake servo to Gabon.
The NDLEA remains resolute in its “War Against Drug Abuse” (WADA), maintaining a heightened state of vigilance at all international gateways to disrupt the activities of global drug syndicates.
