NDLEA Arrests Brazil-Based Nigerian Over Cocaine Smuggling at Lagos Airport
- Feb 2
- 2 min read
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a Nigeria-born businessman returning from Brazil over alleged cocaine trafficking at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
The suspect, identified as 47-year-old Uche Franklin Onyekwere, was taken into custody during passenger screening at the airport’s arrival terminal after intelligence reports flagged his movement. He arrived in Lagos on a South African Airways flight from Brazil, with a stopover in Johannesburg.
According to the NDLEA, security checks and a subsequent body scan raised strong suspicion, prompting a more detailed search. Officials discovered multiple parcels of a white powdery substance concealed on his body and hidden inside the soles of his footwear. Laboratory analysis later confirmed the substance to be cocaine.
The total weight of the seized drug was put at 1.6 kilograms. Further questioning reportedly led the suspect to admit that he acquired the drugs in Brazil and intended to sell them in Nigeria. He allegedly said the proceeds were meant to support his business and cover family expenses, including the naming ceremony of his newborn child.
The agency also disclosed that the suspect has lived in Brazil for several years and was engaged in a toy-related business before his arrest.
In a related development, the NDLEA announced a series of other drug interceptions across the country in the past week. At the Tincan Seaport in Lagos, officers reportedly seized over one tonne of a strong cannabis variant concealed in imported vehicles.
Elsewhere, operatives intercepted a truck along the Abuja–Kaduna axis carrying large quantities of cannabis and a synthetic drug, leading to the arrest of three suspects. Another seizure was recorded in Edo State, where dozens of bags of cannabis were found hidden in charcoal sacks.
The NDLEA said the arrests are part of its ongoing nationwide operations to disrupt drug trafficking networks and prevent illicit substances from entering communities.
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