NDLEA arrests newlywed with 72 cocaine wraps at Enugu airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 25-year-old newlywed businessman at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, over an alleged attempt to traffic 72 wraps of cocaine to Portugal.

The agency named the suspect as Lovely Chukwulobelu and said he was intercepted on Thursday, September 25, 2026, at the airport departure hall while trying to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Portugal through Addis Ababa.

NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said the suspect had ingested the drug and was placed under observation after his arrest. The agency said he later excreted all 72 wraps of cocaine.

The agency said Chukwulobelu told investigators he had worked in car decoration at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo, Lagos, before relocating to Portugal in May 2023. He was said to have returned to Nigeria recently and married on September 13, 2026.

NDLEA said the suspect claimed he went into the alleged drug trafficking to offset wedding expenses. Premium Times also reported a separate Lagos airport seizure involving 2.55 million opioid tablets valued at more than N3bn.

Sources: Punch, Channels TV, Premium Times