The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 59-year-old businessman, Chijioke Igbokwe, for smuggling 81 pellets of cocaine hidden in his stomach. The illicit drugs, weighing 1.943 kilograms, were recovered at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, during routine checks.
According to a statement released on Sunday by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Igbokwe was apprehended on January 26 at the airport’s arrival hall. He had arrived on an Ethiopian Airlines flight, and a body scan confirmed the presence of illicit substances in his digestive system.
“The suspect was immediately placed under excretion observation, but after five days, he was only able to expel 24 pellets. Medical intervention became necessary as his condition worsened,” Babafemi explained.
Investigations revealed that Igbokwe, who claimed to be a clothing trader at Arena, Oshodi, Lagos, had traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 22. While in Addis Ababa, he ingested 81 wraps of cocaine on January 23 before boarding a flight to Beirut, Lebanon.
His mission, however, failed when Lebanese authorities denied him entry for not having the required minimum of $2,000. He was deported back to Ethiopia, where he struggled to excrete the drugs. Unable to do so, he returned to Nigeria on January 25, still carrying the pellets in his stomach.
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Upon his arrest in Lagos, NDLEA operatives kept him under medical observation. However, as time passed and his health deteriorated due to underlying conditions, doctors decided to carry out a surgical procedure.
“On Thursday, January 30, an exploratory laparotomy was performed at a tertiary hospital after his wife and brother signed the necessary consent forms. Doctors successfully extracted 57 additional pellets from his stomach, bringing the total to 81,” Babafemi revealed.
NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, praised the officers at MMIA for their vigilance and professionalism in handling the case.
“Their swift actions not only prevented a large quantity of illicit drugs from hitting the streets but also saved the suspect’s life,” Marwa stated.