RismadarVoice Reporters
February 1, 2026
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 47-year-old Brazil-based Nigerian businessman, Uche Franklin Onyekwere, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, for allegedly attempting to smuggle cocaine into the country.
Onyekwere was arrested on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at the arrival hall of the Lagos airport during the inward clearance of passengers on a South African Airways flight from Brazil via Johannesburg, following actionable intelligence.
A statement issued on Sunday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, said the suspect was subjected to a body scan, which confirmed the presence of illicit substances concealed on his body.
According to the statement, a subsequent search led to the discovery of parcels of cocaine hidden on the suspect, inside the soles of his footwear.
“A Brazil-based Nigerian businessman, Uche Franklin Onyekwere, has been arrested by NDLEA operatives at the arrival hall of MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, for concealing parcels of cocaine on his body and inside the soles of his footwear,” the statement read.
Babafemi disclosed that three wraps of cocaine with a total weight of 1.60 kilograms were recovered from the suspect.
“A further search revealed two additional wraps of the same substance concealed in the sole of a pair of flat shoes worn by the suspect. In all, three large wraps of cocaine, with a gross weight of 1.60 kilograms, were recovered from his body and footwear,” he added.
During preliminary interrogation, the suspect reportedly admitted that he purchased the drugs in Brazil with the intention of reselling them in Nigeria to raise capital for his business and to finance the naming ceremony of his newborn child.
The NDLEA spokesperson stated that Onyekwere, who resides in São Paulo, Brazil, claimed to have lived in the South American country since 2008 and to have operated a toy business for about nine years.
NDLEA Intercepts 1,183kg of Cannabis at Tincan Seaport
In a related development, NDLEA operatives at the Tincan Seaport, Lagos, intercepted a large consignment of cannabis concealed in imported vehicles.
Babafemi said a total of 55 jumbo bags of “Canadian Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis weighing 1,183 kilograms, were discovered inside a container imported from Montreal, Canada.
The illicit drugs were uncovered on Wednesday, January 28, during a joint examination of the shipment by NDLEA officers, the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies.
“The consignments were concealed inside two vehicles, a Hyundai SUV and a Toyota Matrix car,” the statement added.
