Angolan business mogul excrets 120 cocaine wraps as NDLEA raids Kano airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a 42-year-old Angolan businessman, Mbala Abuba, for attempting to smuggle cocaine to Istanbul, Turkey.

Abuba, who hails from Zaire Province in Angola, was intercepted on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, while trying to board Egypt Air flight MS 880 to Istanbul via Cairo.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, a body scan revealed that Abuba had ingested illicit drugs, leading to his placement under observation. After several hours, he excreted 120 pellets of cocaine, weighing 1.829 kilograms, in seven rounds.

“In his statement, the suspect claimed he was into the business of township delivery services in Angola before delving into the illicit drug trade,” the statement noted.

In another operation, NDLEA operatives foiled an attempt by Okeke Igwe, an auto spare parts dealer, to traffic 1.10 kilograms of cocaine hidden in vehicle propellers to Angola. Igwe was arrested on Monday, February 24, 2025, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Babafemi stated, “A similar attempt by an auto spare parts dealer, Okeke Ebuka Igwe, to send two parcels of 1.10kg cocaine concealed in vehicle propellers to Angola through the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos, was thwarted by NDLEA operatives who arrested him on Monday 24th February following credible intelligence.

“During an interview with the suspect, he claimed that he is a businessman selling auto parts in ASPANDA, Trade Fair Complex, Ojo area of Lagos.”

Similarly, NDLEA officers arrested Ezechi Cyprian on Sunday, February 23, 2025, while transporting 5.40kg of cocaine to Owerri, Imo State, in a Toyota Sienna. The arrest followed weeks of surveillance by the agency.

At the Tincan Seaport in Lagos, on Friday, February 28, 2025, a joint operation by NDLEA, Customs, and other security agencies uncovered 128 parcels of Canadian Loud, a highly potent strain of cannabis, concealed in two mattresses inside a Toyota Venza imported from Canada.

Babafemi disclosed, “At the Tincan seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Friday, 28th February, discovered a total of 128 parcels of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis concealed in two mattresses in the trunk of a Toyota Venza car imported from Canada.

“The discovery of the 63.75kg consignment was made during a joint examination of a targeted container marked TCNU 1945861 from Montreal, Canada, by NDLEA, Customs, and other security agencies. The consignee of the shipment, 44-year-old Bamidele Joseph, has been arrested and taken into custody.”

In Delta State, NDLEA operatives, with military support, raided a 20-hectare cannabis farm in Innam-Abbi/Orogun, Ndokwa West LGA, destroying over 50,000kg of illicit crops and arresting five suspects: Augustine Subaru (45), Ukoba Malachukwu (53), Odalonu Emmanuel (40), Esuabom Macaulay (35), and Itoje Safe (54).

Babafemi added, “In another operation in Delta, NDLEA operatives on Friday, 28th February, intercepted a Mercedes Benz truck marked AWK 791 ZJ along Abraka-Orogun road. A search of the truck led to the recovery of 101 bags of skunk with a total weight of 1,111kg.”

In Edo State, NDLEA and military operatives raided the Okpuje community in Owan West LGA on Saturday, March 1, 2025, seizing 1,409.5kg of skunk and destroying over 100 jumbo bags of the substance stored in warehouses.

Suspects arrested in the operation include Oikelomen Osere Monday (38) and Glory Iroyo (42).

Babafemi further revealed, “A suspect, Michael Omoloki, 46, was arrested with 58.5 kilograms of skunk at the Ibadan end of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Oyo State, while operatives in Kwara State on Monday, 24th February, nabbed a Beninese national, Lawali Mohammed, with 2,980 tablets of tramadol and dozens of diazepam pills at Eiyenkorin expressway, Ilorin.

“In Osun, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Ibadan/Gbongan expressway on Thursday, 27th February, intercepted a consignment of 1.05kg skunk concealed in detergent soap and biscuit cartons, leading to the arrest of Sunday Ogbu, 45.

“A suspect, Ayuba Mustapha, 30, was arrested at Tsafe, Zamfara State, with 24,700 pills of tramadol on Sunday, 23rd February.

“In Borno State, NDLEA operatives arrested Mustapha Shettima, 50, with 31kg of skunk, 1,000 tramadol pills, and N720,000 in cash along Bama road, Maiduguri, on Wednesday, 26th February.

“Similarly, Adamu Idris, 40, was apprehended along Zaria road, Kano, on the same day with 140 blocks of cannabis weighing 73.5kg.”