The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has revealed that a 59-year-old businessman, Chijioke Nnanna Igbokwe, underwent an exploratory laparotomy to remove 57 out of 81 cocaine pellets stuck in his stomach after seven days of failed excretion attempts.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Igbokwe, who operates a clothing business in Lagos, was arrested on January 26, 2025, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport during inward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight. A body scan confirmed the presence of illicit substances, prompting his detention for excretion observation.
Failed Drug Trafficking Attempt
Investigations revealed that Igbokwe left Lagos for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 22 and ingested 81 wraps of cocaine on January 23 before boarding a flight to Beirut, Lebanon, where he was expected to deliver the consignment for $3,000.
However, Lebanese authorities denied him entry due to insufficient funds—he had less than the $2,000 minimum requirement. Deported back to Addis Ababa, he unsuccessfully attempted to excrete the drugs before proceeding to Lagos on January 25.
Upon his arrival, NDLEA officers apprehended him, but five days of medical supervision yielded only 24 expelled pellets. With time running out and complications arising, his wife and brother signed consent forms for surgery at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) on January 30. The procedure successfully extracted 57 remaining pellets, bringing the total recovered cocaine weight to 1.943kg.
Other NDLEA Drug Busts in Lagos
In a separate operation, NDLEA officers intercepted 2,000kg of Ghanaian Loud (a high-grade cannabis strain) at Lekki Beach, arresting Sunday Awoyede and Christopher Cletus as they attempted to load the shipment onto a truck.
Additionally, another suspect, Lawal Idris Olasunkanmi, was arrested the same day with 55kg of skunk in Mushin, Lagos.
The NDLEA continues its crackdown on drug trafficking networks, reinforcing its commitment to curbing illicit drug activities across Nigeria.
