Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have taken into custody an Ivorian national and a Nigerian medical doctor over alleged involvement in cocaine trafficking.
The Ivorian suspect, Gohouri Michael, aged 41, was arrested at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano during passenger clearance for an Ethiopian Airlines flight bound for Milan, Italy, through Addis Ababa.
Details were contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed that the suspect had swallowed 82 wraps of cocaine with a total weight of 1.49 kilogrammes.
“Gohouri had arrived in Lagos from Milan, Italy, on January 17, 2026, and was shuttling from Lagos to Enugu for three weeks. He later travelled to Kano, where he stayed for a week before ingesting the cocaine consignment in his hotel room.
“He’s expected to be paid 5,000 euros when he delivers the drugs in Milan. Further investigation by NDLEA revealed that Gohouri had a shadowy figure behind the scene, giving him instructions on how to move the cocaine consignment through the airport,” the statement read.
Babafemi explained that intelligence gathered during the investigation pointed to a suspected coordinator. This led to the arrest of a 69-year-old medical doctor, Dr Chudi Ofomata, in Ogun State.
According to him, operatives tracked the suspect to his residence in Magboro, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area, where he was arrested on March 27, 2026.
“Further investigation by NDLEA revealed that Gohouri had a shadowy figure behind the scene, giving him instructions on how to move the cocaine consignment through the airport.
“The hidden figure behind Gohouri was eventually discovered to be Dr Chudi Ofomata, who was later tracked and traced to his residence at Teachers’ Land Estate, Magboro, Obafemi Owode LGA, Ogun State, where he was arrested on March 27, 2026, and flown to Kano on Tuesday, April 7.
“Recovered from him at the point of his arrest include 63 grams of promazepam and seven ampoules of promethazine injection,” the statement added.
The agency noted that the arrests form part of ongoing operations aimed at dismantling drug trafficking networks.
In a separate operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted a luxury bus belonging to Chisco Transport along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. The vehicle, marked AGU 442 XB, was en route to Port Harcourt when it was stopped based on intelligence.
“In Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Tuesday, April 7, intercepted a Chisco Transport luxury bus marked AGU 442 XB going to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 15 kilograms of ‘skunk’, a strong strain of cannabis, concealed in one of the compartments of the bus. Two suspects, Kingsley Nsofor and Opara Ifeanyi, were promptly arrested,” he said.
The agency also recorded other arrests across several states.
In Abia State, operatives arrested a 90-year-old suspect, Pa Friday Ahukanna Chigbu, at his residence in Osisioma Local Government Area on April 7, 2026. A search of the premises led to the recovery of 7.7 kilogrammes of skunk.
“A nonagenarian, Pa Friday Ahukanna Chigbu, was arrested at his home in Umuagbaigba, Amavo Nkwogu village, Osisioma Local Government Area of Abia State on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. A search of his residence led to the recovery of 7.7 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis.
“The suspect claimed he had worked as a truck pusher but later learnt painting and tiling before going into the illicit drug business over a year ago. He claimed he had been smoking skunk since 1959 before turning it into business,” Babafemi said.
Babafemi added that in Ogun State, three suspects were apprehended with 34 kilogrammes of skunk. In Imo State, a 26-year-old woman was arrested with 56.2 kilogrammes of the substance.
He also confirmed that in Niger State, a couple was arrested after 118 kilogrammes of skunk were recovered from their residence.
“In Niger State, NDLEA operatives on Thursday, April 9, arrested a couple, Abdullahi Umar, 32, and his wife Adama Umar, 25, during a search of their Takuti village, Lapai LGA home, where 118 kilograms of skunk were recovered from their kitchen,” he said.
In Borno State, operatives intercepted a trailer loaded with Rohypnol tablets, codeine syrup, and pentazocine injections. The owner of the consignment was arrested.
In another raid in the Mushin area of Lagos, officials confiscated 26,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup and arrested two suspects.
