The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a former convict, Nwobodo Basil, along with three cargo agents, following the discovery of cocaine concealed in liquid starch sachets destined for the United Kingdom.
According to the agency, operatives recovered 75 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.50 kilogrammes from factory-sealed cold-water starch sachets at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
In a statement issued on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said three cargo agents—Jubrin Hassana, Kuku Oluwasegun, and Igwe Jane—were apprehended on Saturday, December 20, 2025, in connection with the attempted export.
Further investigations led to the arrest of 37-year-old Nwobodo Basil the following day at a relaxation centre in Ikeja, where he was identified as the mastermind behind the shipment.
Babafemi disclosed that Nwobodo is a repeat offender who was previously arrested in May 2023 for trafficking 30.10kg of methamphetamine concealed in custard powder containers bound for London. He was convicted and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment with an option of a ₦7m fine, which he paid before returning to drug trafficking.
In related operations, NDLEA operatives arrested a 65-year-old driver in Gombe State with large quantities of pentazocine injections, tramadol pills, and other opioids. Another suspect, businessman Ignatius Egbochie, was also arrested in Lagos over a 26kg seizure of “loud” cannabis at the Tincan Seaport.
Babafemi added that the agency also carried out raids across several states, including Ekiti, Edo, Cross River, Abuja, Lagos, and Taraba, where warehouses were destroyed, drugs seized, and multiple suspects arrested between December 21 and 25, 2025.
