By Abigail David

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a suspected Nigerian coordinator of an international cocaine trafficking network while allegedly attempting to flee the country for Paris.

The agency said the operation followed the seizure of 184.5kg of cocaine concealed in a consignment for export through a courier company in Lagos. NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), said the drugs could have generated an estimated N39 billion for the cartel.

According to the agency, investigations led to the arrest of two key suspects, including logistics company employee Lawal Mujab Kehinde and Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known online as “KC Luxury.”

NDLEA identified Michael as the alleged Nigerian arrowhead of the syndicate, which reportedly moved cocaine from South America through Nigeria to the UK, other European countries and Asia.

Marwa said Michael was arrested at the boarding gate of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on August 13 while allegedly preparing to travel business class to Paris.

The suspect was reportedly found with €7,750, £2,800 and N100,000, as well as jewellery. A search of his luxury apartment on Banana Island, Lagos, also led to the recovery of exotic vehicles, the agency said.

NDLEA said the investigation revealed the cartel used intermediary companies, false identities and financial facilitators to conceal its activities.

The agency said some suspected members of the network had also been arrested by authorities in the UK.

By Abigail David

The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Jikwoyi, Abuja, has convicted Haruna Mamuda and Sadiq Umar for impersonating officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to defraud members of the public.

According to a statement issued by the EFCC, Justice M. Zubairu convicted the two men on Thursday after they pleaded guilty to a five-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, impersonation and unlawful representation.

The EFCC alleged that the convicts, alongside Salifu Olije Mustapha, who is standing trial separately before an FCT High Court in Kubwa, conspired in March 2026 to falsely present themselves as EFCC officers in violation of the Penal Code Act.

Following the guilty pleas, prosecution counsel R. U. Adagba urged the court to convict the defendants. Defence lawyers appealed for leniency, citing their clients’ remorse, cooperation with investigators and, in one case, the absence of a previous criminal record.

During the proceedings, the prosecution also informed the court that the defendants were brought from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), where they are facing separate charges related to alleged terrorism financing and kidnapping. Those allegations remain before the court and have not been determined.

Justice Zubairu adjourned the case until July 22, 2026, for sentencing and ordered that the two convicts remain in EFCC custody pending the hearing.

By Abigail David

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman, Mary Barek, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed in fake plantain peels through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

In a statement issued on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said Barek, a caregiver based in the United Kingdom, was intercepted at the departure hall of Terminal 2 on June 28 while preparing to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London.

According to the agency, a search of her luggage uncovered 31 large wraps of cocaine, weighing 13 kilograms, disguised as hands of plantain and packed alongside other food items. Babafemi said the suspect admitted ownership of the seized drugs during interrogation.

The NDLEA also announced the arrest of Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, over an alleged attempt to export cocaine hidden inside cartons of Orijin Bitters bound for Kuala Lumpur.

Babafemi said Onyeka was arrested on June 29 in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State after investigators identified him as the alleged leader of a drug trafficking syndicate. The agency had earlier intercepted 36 parcels of cocaine weighing 5.8 kilograms concealed inside nine cartons of the herbal drink in a cargo shipment destined for Malaysia.

Four other suspects, including a cargo agent, a driver, a trader and a supplier of the cartons used to conceal the drugs, were earlier arrested during the investigation, the NDLEA said.

In separate operations, the agency reported the arrest of a suspect in Taraba State with 43,980 capsules of Tramadol hidden inside modified vehicle fuel tanks. It also announced arrests in Kaduna, Ebonyi, Plateau and Gombe states, where operatives recovered methamphetamine, skunk and cannabis sativa in various quantities.

The NDLEA said it continued its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaign across schools, workplaces, worship centres and communities nationwide.

NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations, urging commands across the country to sustain efforts in drug enforcement and public awareness.