Abuja, June 15, 2025 – The National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested Ezemokwe Chukwuebuka Christian, a 44-year-old businessman with 53 wraps of cocaine at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
The anti-drug agency said the man was on his way to Tehran Khomeini, Islamic Republic of Iran, when he was arrested.
The NDLEA disclosed this in a statement issued by Femi Babafemi, its Spokesman on Sunday,
The statement said the suspect, who ingested the drugs, was arrested while trying to board Qatar Airways flight QR1434 to Tehran Khomeini in Iran via Doha.
It said a body scan of the suspect proved he had ingested the illicit drug and he was placed on excretion observation during which he expelled 53 wraps of cocaine in six excretions with a total weight of 1.172kg.
The statement said the suspect confessed he had been in the drug trade for two years, moving between the West African sub-region and Iran.
The NDLEA also said its operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja intercepted an Italy bound passenger, Edobor Ambrose Ali, on an Air France flight in the early hours of Saturday, June 14.
It said its officers working in collaboration with the Aviation Security of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), discovered drug consignments hidden in the luggage of the suspect during baggage scanning at the tarmac.
The suspect was thereafter brought down from the aircraft for baggage identification after which a thorough search of the bag led to the discovery of 14, 410 pills of tramadol 225mg and 200mg concealed in winter jackets.
Ebodor confessed, in a statement, that he was living in Italy where he was hired and sent on the all- expense paid trip to Nigeria to courier the drug consignments to Milan, Italy for a fee of 2000 Euros.
NDLEA operatives at Onne Port in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, intercepted a shipment of 157,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth over N1.1bn in street value on Friday, June13.
The drugs were intercepted during a joint examination of a watch-listed container with men of Customs Service and other security agencies.
The consignments were hidden behind 257 cartons of ceramic sanitary wares.
The NDLEA also said its operatives at the Port Harcourt International Airport thwarted an attempt by a woman to export large consignments of cocaine to Iran
It said the consignments were concealed in the private part, stomach, and false bottom of the handbag of the suspect, identified as Ihensekhien Miracle Obehi.
The statement said that the suspect, who was dressed in a hijab to beat security checks, was intercepted at the departure hall of the Port Harcourt airport on Sunday, May 3, 2025, while trying to board a Qatar Airline flight to Iran via Doha, following credible intelligence.
It said Obehi was found to have inserted three wraps of cocaine in her private part, and two large parcels hidden in false compartments of her handbag.
The NDLEA also arrested three suspects: Friday Achibong Joseph, 47; Abraham Anthony Willy, 21; and Utibe David Okon, 24, were arrested when NDLEA operatives raided a warehouse in Obereakai, Odukpani LGA, Cross River State, where a total of 2,687kgs skunk, a strain of cannabis, was recovered on Thursday June 12.
