Chijioke Igbokwe’s Dangerous Journey with 81 Pellets of Cocaine
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has detailed the arrest of 59-year-old businessman Chijioke Nnanna Igbokwe, who underwent an emergency surgery to remove 57 out of 81 cocaine pellets from his stomach after ingesting them in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

From Ethiopia to Lagos – A Tale of Drug Trafficking
Igbokwe was apprehended at Murtala Muhammed International Airport on January 26, 2025, after a body scan confirmed the presence of drugs. He had ingested the cocaine on January 23 in Ethiopia, intending to deliver it to Beirut, Lebanon, for a fee of $3,000. However, he was denied entry into Lebanon due to insufficient funds and was deported back to Ethiopia before returning to Lagos, still carrying the drugs.
Medical Emergency and Arrest
Unable to naturally excrete the drugs, Igbokwe underwent observation for five days, managing to expel only 24 pellets. His dire medical condition due to the remaining pellets led to an exploratory laparotomy surgery on January 30, after which the NDLEA retrieved a total of 81 cocaine pellets weighing 1.943 kilograms from his body.
Additional Drug Busts by NDLEA
Parallel to this case, the NDLEA also intercepted a massive 2,000-kilogram shipment of Ghanaian Loud at Lekki beach, arresting two individuals, Sunday Awoyede and Christopher Cletus, during the attempted loading into a truck. Additionally, in a separate operation, Lawal Idris Olasunkanmi was arrested in Mushin, Lagos, with 55 kilograms of skunk.
This series of operations highlights NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking, showcasing both the risks involved and the agency’s commitment to intercepting illegal substances entering or leaving Nigeria.