A 59-year-old Nigerian businessman, Chijioke Nnanna Igbokwe, underwent a life-threatening surgery to remove 57 cocaine pellets from his stomach after a failed drug smuggling attempt.

Igbokwe was arrested on January 26, 2025, at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport after his ingestion of 81 cocaine wraps was detected during a body scan.

The businessman, who claims to be involved in the cloth trade in Lagos, had ingested the pellets in Addis Ababa on January 23, 2025, before flying to Beirut, Lebanon.

However, he was denied entry into Lebanon for not meeting the $2,000 entry requirement and was subsequently deported back to Addis Ababa. Unable to excrete the drugs, he returned to Lagos with the drugs still inside him.

After five days under observation at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) custody, Igbokwe expelled just 24 pellets.

Due to complications from medical conditions and the growing risk to his life, he underwent an exploratory laparotomy on January 30, where the remaining 57 cocaine pellets, weighing 1.943 kilograms in total, were surgically removed.

“I am deeply concerned about the destructive toll of drug trafficking,” said Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/CEO of NDLEA. “Not only are they ruining lives, but they are putting their own lives in grave danger.”

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Lagos intercepted 2,000 kilograms of “Ghanaian Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, at Lekki beach.

Two suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure, and another individual was apprehended with 55 kilograms of the drug.

Across Nigeria, the NDLEA has ramped up efforts to raise awareness about drug abuse through its “War Against Drug Abuse” (WADA) campaign, with outreach programs held in schools, workplaces, and communities nationwide.

Marwa commended the efforts of the NDLEA personnel involved in both the cocaine bust and cannabis seizure, emphasizing the agency’s continued commitment to curbing the drug trade in Nigeria.