Photos: NDLEA Arrests 75 Year-old Grandpa, UK Techie, India-bound Brothers Over Illicit Drugs

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Special Operations Unit have arrested two brothers, John Abugu, 43, and Kenneth Abugu, 31, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos for attempting to smuggle 5 kilograms of cocaine concealed within the walls of their suitcases.

This was made known in a statement to Naija News on Sunday by the NDLEA Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

The brothers were arrested on Thursday, April 3, 2025, as they attempted to board a flight to India. They claimed to be traveling for medical treatment, but a thorough search by NDLEA officers revealed the illicit drug inside their luggage.

In another incident on the same day, NDLEA officers at MMIA intercepted 20-year-old Ghanaian-British national Parker Darren Hazekia Osei, who was found carrying 36 parcels of “Loud” cannabis, weighing 19.4 kg, in a large traveling bag. Osei, who claims to be a Computer Science student at East London University, was arrested during the inward clearance of passengers from an Ethiopian Airlines flight arriving from Bangkok, Thailand. Osei admitted that he had picked up the drug consignment in Bangkok to deliver it in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, in Kogi state, NDLEA operatives arrested 33 year-old Ngozi Ogili, who was transporting 3 kilograms of methamphetamine from Lagos to Abuja. She was apprehended in a commercial transport bus on the Okene-Lokoja highway on March 31, 2025. A follow-up operation at her delivery point in the Apo mechanic area of Abuja led to the discovery and seizure of more illicit drugs, including “Loud” and “Colorado,” synthetic strains of cannabis.

In Abia state, NDLEA officers arrested 75-year-old Nna Nnanna Felix with 1.6 kg of skunk, a cannabis strain, during a raid at Umunteke Asa, Ukwa West LGA, on April 5, 2025. Additionally, 21-year-old David Chinemerem was arrested in Aba on April 1, 2025, with 2,050 ampoules of pentazocine.

NDLEA operatives also made significant seizures in other states. In Yobe state, Abdullahi Adamu was apprehended with 381 bottles of codeine syrup and 108 tablets of tramadol along the Potiskum-Damaturu road on April 5, 2025.

In Anambra state, multiple arrests were made during raids at Osogbo motor park, Onitsha, and a house in Oba, Idemili LGA, leading to the seizure of 195,000 tramadol pills, 4.2 kg of codeine syrup, and 5.4 kg of pentazocine.

In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), NDLEA operatives arrested 51-year-old Sunday Ayogu on April 3, 2025, with 25 kg of skunk and 90.4 g of methamphetamine during a raid at Wuse Market, Abuja.

Additionally, two women, Faith Effiong Etim, 64, and Victoria Asuquo Etim, 40, were arrested on April 4, 2025, during an NDLEA operation supported by the Nigerian Army in Esuk-Odot, Odukpani LGA, Cross River State. The operation resulted in the destruction of 250,000 kg of cannabis on over 100 hectares of farmland.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, commended the officers involved in the arrests and seizures, noting their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts. He expressed appreciation for the agency’s operational successes across the country.

See photos from the various operations below: