Nigerian Authorities Seize 19kg of Cocaine Worth $2.93M at Lagos Airport

Nigerian officials from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have successfully intercepted 19.4 kg (42.77 pounds) of cocaine with an estimated street value of N4.66 billion ($2.93 million) at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The seizure took place on September 18, as a passenger arriving from Ethiopia attempted to smuggle the drugs into the country.

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The suspect, a 48-year-old Nigerian businessman named Christian Ifeanyi Ogbuji, was arrested during an inward clearance of passengers from an Ethiopian Airlines flight. Ogbuji, who has been described as an “unrepentant kingpin” within a network of international drug cartels, was found carrying 817 wraps of cocaine.

This arrest marks Ogbuji’s second major encounter with the NDLEA. He was previously arrested at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on May 10, 2023, after ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.986 kg. Following his arrest, he was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option to pay a fine of N3 million. He chose to pay the fine, forfeited the seized drugs and his passport, and was released.

Despite this, Ogbuji resumed his criminal activities, which led to his recent re-arrest. The NDLEA detailed how Ogbuji attempted to evade detection by leaving a backpack containing the cocaine on the conveyor belt, hoping to retrieve it later after initially clearing another bag through inspection. However, vigilant NDLEA officers conducted a secondary search, leading to the discovery of the hidden drugs.

According to the NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, Ogbuji’s operations span several countries, including Brazil, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and other West African nations such as Benin, Togo, Ghana, Liberia, and Côte d’Ivoire. The NDLEA has vowed to continue its efforts to disrupt the activities of drug cartels operating within and beyond Nigeria.

The case underscores Nigeria’s growing challenge as it transitions from being a transit point for international drug trafficking to becoming a significant consumer and distributor of narcotics. NDLEA Chief Mohammed Buba Marwa reiterated the agency’s commitment to combating drug-related crimes, emphasising the need for continued vigilance and enforcement.

This arrest and the subsequent seizure of drugs highlight the ongoing battle against drug trafficking in Nigeria and the broader West African region, where international drug cartels have increasingly sought to exploit weak points in local and regional enforcement.