Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 38-year-old businessman, Philip Tunde, after allegedly finding 4.80 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in the soles of shoes and the railings of travelling bags at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Tunde was arrested on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at the joint screening point of Terminal 2 of the airport while preparing to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan, Italy.
The arrest came shortly after the agency intercepted another suspected drug trafficker allegedly travelling to India with illicit substances.
According to the NDLEA, a search of Tunde’s luggage led to the discovery of 16 parcels of white powder concealed in the soles of eight pairs of trainers and canvas shoes.
Operatives also recovered 195 wraps hidden inside the railings of four travelling bags.
The substances were subjected to preliminary testing and reportedly tested positive for cocaine, with a combined weight of 4.80kg.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said the suspect allegedly told investigators that he paid N16 million in cash for the cocaine concealed in the shoes.
He reportedly claimed that the consignment hidden in the travelling bags was meant to be delivered to a business associate in Italy.
Tunde also allegedly told investigators that the money used to purchase the cocaine came from compensation he received after sustaining an injury while working at a plastic manufacturing company in Italy.
According to the agency, the suspect lost the tips of two fingers in the workplace accident.
Babafemi said the arrest formed part of a series of intelligence-led operations conducted by the NDLEA across the country, which resulted in the interception of large consignments of illicit drugs at seaports, arrests of suspected traffickers and the destruction of cannabis farms.
At the Apapa Port in Lagos, NDLEA operatives, working with the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders, intercepted 124kg of Thai Loud, a potent strain of cannabis.
The consignment, concealed inside two refrigerators and two cartons in a container shipped from Bangkok, Thailand, was valued at N372 million.
At the Onne Port in Rivers State, the agency said operatives recovered another 22kg of Loud from a container.
They also seized 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup weighing 16,440kg.
The combined street value of the two consignments was put at N833.2 million.
Meanwhile, NDLEA officers at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos recovered 1,297.5kg of Canadian Loud on September 29 from a watch-listed container shipped from Montreal, Canada.
The agency said the cannabis, valued at more than N3.8 billion, was concealed in two vehicles alongside other items.
The latest seizures add to a series of major drug interceptions recently announced by the anti-narcotics agency, including a separate operation in which illicit drugs valued at over N3.4 billion were recovered.
The NDLEA also reported the destruction of 20,234kg of skunk discovered on an 8.0936-hectare cannabis farm in Area 4, Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State.
In Plateau State, operatives arrested a 41-year-old suspect, Agbo Dennis, in Jos North following the seizure of 33 bags of skunk weighing 385kg.
The agency said its operations also led to the seizure of tramadol, methamphetamine, Colorado and other illicit substances in Lagos, Kogi and Edo states.
In another development, the NDLEA arrested 47-year-old Idris Mohammed Kurra, a fugitive who allegedly jumped bail six years ago while facing trial before the Federal High Court in Jos for alleged possession and dealing in 198kg of skunk.
Kurra was arrested on September 29, 2026, after allegedly evading arrest since December 2020, when he was granted bail by the court.
Beyond enforcement operations, the NDLEA said its commands across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaigns in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.
The agency said the campaigns were designed to prevent drug abuse and educate members of the public about the dangers associated with illicit substances.
Commending the officers involved in the operations, the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (retd.), urged personnel to sustain pressure on drug trafficking networks across the country.
Marwa also directed the continuation of the agency’s balanced drug-control strategy, combining arrests and seizures with prevention, public education and community-based sensitisation.
