Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 74-year-old man for allegedly attempting to smuggle cocaine concealed in food items at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The suspect, identified as Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, was apprehended at the airport’s departure hall while attempting to board a British Airways flight BA082 bound for London in the United Kingdom on March 14, 2026.
According to NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, the suspect was intercepted during routine screening at the airport. A search of his luggage uncovered blocks of cocaine weighing about 11 kilograms, carefully wrapped in foil papers and balloons and hidden inside food items, including ground dry pepper, in an attempt to evade security checks.
Authorities said the elderly man claimed he was travelling to the UK for a vacation when the illicit drugs were discovered in his bags. NDLEA officials noted that the concealment method was designed to avoid detection during airport screening.
The agency said the arrest is part of ongoing nationwide operations targeting drug trafficking networks operating through airports, seaports and land borders across Nigeria. NDLEA chairman Mohammed Buba Marwa has repeatedly emphasised the agency’s commitment to intensifying efforts against narcotics trafficking.
Officials confirmed that investigations are ongoing to determine whether the suspect was acting alone or as part of a larger drug trafficking network. The NDLEA also reiterated its warning to traffickers that law enforcement agencies remain vigilant at major entry and exit points across the country.
The arrest highlights the continued use of creative concealment methods by traffickers and underscores the importance of strict screening procedures at Nigerian international airports.
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