25-Year-Old Suspect Allegedly Ingested Cocaine Bound for Portugal, Citing Wedding Expenses.
Enugu Media Village (EMV), the Most Updated Online News Platform | September 28, 2026.
ENUGU — Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 25-year-old businessman, Lovely Chukwulobelu, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, over an alleged attempt to traffic cocaine to Portugal.
According to the NDLEA, the suspect was intercepted at the airport’s departure hall on September 25, 2026, while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Portugal through Addis Ababa. The agency said he had allegedly concealed cocaine in his stomach.
The NDLEA said the suspect was subsequently placed under excretion observation, during which he allegedly expelled 72 wraps of cocaine, described by the agency as a Class A illicit drug.
The agency further stated that Chukwulobelu, who resides in Portugal, had previously been involved in car-decoration business at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo, Lagos, before relocating to Portugal in May 2023.
According to the NDLEA account, the suspect returned to Nigeria recently and got married on September 13, 2026. The agency said he reportedly told investigators that he became involved in the alleged drug trafficking in an attempt to offset expenses incurred during his wedding.
The arrest was part of a wider series of operations reported by the NDLEA across the country. The agency also announced the seizure of 2.55 million opioid pills weighing 1,640.55 kilogrammes at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, alongside other arrests and seizures in different states.
The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), commended personnel involved in the operations and urged officers to sustain efforts against illicit drug trafficking while continuing public sensitisation and prevention programmes.
The case highlights the continued efforts of law-enforcement authorities at Nigerian airports to detect and disrupt attempts to move illicit drugs across international borders.
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