Italy based businessman excretes 98 wraps of cocaine – NDLEA

On August 8, 2026, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced the arrest of a 30-year-old Italy-based businessman, Joseph Cyril, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu. Cyril was seized for ingesting 98 wraps of cocaine, which weighed 1.510kg, during the outbound clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET930.

The arrest came after NDLEA officials observed that Cyril expelled the drug during an excretion observation process at a hotel in Awka, Anambra State, before traveling to Enugu to board his flight to Europe. According to NDLEA, Cyril had arrived in Nigeria from Italy on July 13, 2026, and had agreed to traffic the drug for €3,500 to relocate to Germany.

NDLEA officials revealed that they had intercepted several other drug consignments across the country. In Lagos, they thwarted attempts to export cocaine concealed in phone chargers to Saudi Arabia and skunk to Italy. Additionally, 2.3kg of Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain, was intercepted from a shipping company in Lagos. In Ondo State, 1,633kg of skunk was seized from a truck on the Akure-Ilesha Expressway, and in Oyo State, 731.03kg of cannabis was recovered from a drug warehouse.

Edo State saw the seizure of 604.5kg of skunk, and Abia State had 7kg of skunk recovered from a drug operation.

In Lagos, a major haul of 309.4kg of cannabis-infused cookies and gummies was recovered from a 40-foot container seized by NDLEA operatives. The agency also reported the arrest of a drug dealer, Adome Claude Sikuru, who had been on the run for three months, along with the seizure of 88.5kg of skunk. NDLEA's War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) activities continued, including educational campaigns in various communities and schools.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, praised the agency's officers for their successful operations and encouraged them to maintain the balanced approach to drug control.