74-year-old man nabbed with cocaine at Abuja Airport

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 74-year-old man at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after discovering 11 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in his luggage. The suspect, identified as Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, was intercepted at the departure hall of the Abuja airport on Saturday while attempting to board a […]

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 74-year-old man at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after discovering 11 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in his luggage.

The suspect, identified as Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, was intercepted at the departure hall of the Abuja airport on Saturday while attempting to board a British Airways flight to London.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA headquarters.

Babafemi said the elderly suspect claimed he was travelling to London for vacation when he was stopped during routine checks by NDLEA operatives.

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A search of his luggage, however, led to the discovery of the illicit substance hidden inside food items.

According to the agency, the cocaine — weighing 11 kilogrammes — had been carefully concealed in packages of ground dry pepper and wrapped in foil papers and balloons.

Babafemi said the arrest forms part of a series of operations carried out by NDLEA across the country over the past week as the agency intensifies its crackdown on drug trafficking.

In a related operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence arrested Maryam Olalowo at Ikad Hotel and Suites on Etim Inyang Street, Victoria Island, where she was allegedly attempting to sell 89 grammes of cocaine and 20 grammes of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis.

Babafemi said the suspect was found with her three children, including an infant, at the time of the arrest.

During preliminary questioning, she reportedly told investigators that the drugs belonged to her husband, Ibrahim Olatunji.

The NDLEA spokesman said Olatunji was subsequently arrested later the same day, while the woman was immediately released.

According to Babafemi, Olatunji admitted ownership of the drugs during interrogation.

“Further investigation revealed that he had previously been arrested, convicted, and sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for a similar offence in 2015,” the statement said.