The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully recovered 81 pellets of cocaine, weighing 1.943 kilograms, from the stomach of a businessman at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos. The seizure, valued at millions of naira, was confirmed in a statement issued on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy.
The suspect, identified as 59-year-old Chijioke Igbokwe, was arrested at the arrival hall of MMIA on January 26 during the inward clearance of passengers from an Ethiopian Airlines flight. A body scan revealed the presence of illicit substances in Igbokwe’s system, prompting his detention for observation and further medical examination.
Babafemi explained that after ingesting the cocaine in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 23, Igbokwe attempted to travel to Beirut, Lebanon, to deliver the drugs in exchange for $3,000.

However, upon arrival in Beirut, he was denied entry for failing to meet the minimum financial requirement for admission. He was subsequently deported to Addis Ababa, where he tried to excrete the drugs but was unsuccessful.
Igbokwe then travelled to Lagos on January 25 with the drugs still inside his body, where he was arrested by NDLEA officers the following day. After five days under excretion observation, he managed to expel only 24 pellets with medical assistance. Due to complications and his deteriorating health, Igbokwe was admitted to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), where, on January 30, an exploratory laparotomy was performed to remove the remaining 57 pellets of cocaine.
Babafemi confirmed that in total, 81 pellets of the Class A drug, weighing 1.943 kilograms, were recovered from Igbokwe’s stomach. He also quoted NDLEA Chairman, retired Brigadier General Buba Marwa, who commended the MMIA strategic command officers for their vigilance and professionalism in handling the case. Marwa further cautioned those involved in the illicit drug trade, stressing that they are not only jeopardising the lives of others but also endangering their own lives.