Lagos businessman arrested for trying to export cocaine to UK

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a 55-year-old businessman from Lagos, Onuigbo Chinedu. He was caught trying to export 3.30kg of cocaine hidden in the walls of cartons meant for food items going to the United Kingdom.

The agency reported that Chinedu, who sells clothes at the busy Balogun Market on Lagos Island, was arrested on Thursday, July 23, 2026. This followed the interception of the cocaine shipment at the export shed of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, a day earlier on Wednesday, July 22.

In a statement released on Sunday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, three cargo agents were also arrested for their role in the shipment. The agents are Nkwor Onyekachukwu Justina, Adeleke Abiola Taoheed, and Ukanwa Grace Pilgrim.

The statement said, “A 55-year-old businessman, Onuigbo Ndubisi Chinedu, who deals in clothing at the popular Balogun Market, Lagos Island, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over an attempt to export 3.30 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the walls of cartons used to package foodstuffs going to the United Kingdom.

“Onuigbo was arrested on Thursday, 23rd July 2026, following the interception of his cocaine consignment at the export shed of the Lagos airport the previous day, Wednesday, 22nd July, by NDLEA operatives. In the course of the investigation, three cargo agents: Nkwor Onyekachukwu Justina; Adeleke Abiola Taoheed; and Ukanwa Grace Pilgrim, who handled the shipment, were initially arrested, leading to the arrest of Kenneth Okakpu, who delivered the consignment to the cargo agents for shipment to the UK.

“Okakpu’s arrest provided the lead to identifying Onuigbo as the kingpin behind the syndicate and his eventual arrest while attempting to send another consignment of cocaine to the UK.”