Close Call! Businessman Undergoes Emergency Surgery To Expel Stuck Cocaine As NDLEA Foils Drug Smuggling From Ghana

A 59-year-old businessman, Chijioke Nnanna Igbokwe, narrowly survived after undergoing an emergency surgical procedure to remove 57 out of 81 cocaine pellets that remained lodged in his stomach for seven days following ingestion in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Igbokwe was arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) during passenger clearance for an inbound Ethiopian Airlines flight on Sunday, January 26, 2025.

A body scan revealed the presence of illicit drugs in his system, leading to his immediate detention for excretion observation.

Investigations showed that Igbokwe, who claims to be a clothing trader in Arena, Oshodi, Lagos, left Lagos for Addis Ababa on January 22, where he swallowed 81 wraps of cocaine the following day. His assignment was to transport the drugs to Beirut, Lebanon, in exchange for $3,000. However, upon arrival, he was denied entry for failing to meet the $2,000 minimum financial requirement and was deported back to Addis Ababa. After unsuccessful attempts to excrete the drugs, he proceeded to Lagos on January 25, still carrying the substances. NDLEA officers intercepted him upon arrival on January 26.

Despite five days of medical observation, only 24 pellets were expelled, prompting his admission to a tertiary hospital due to the life-threatening risk posed by the remaining drugs. With consent from his wife and brother, doctors performed an exploratory laparotomy on January 30, successfully extracting the remaining 57 pellets.

In total, 81 cocaine pellets, weighing 1.943 kilograms, were recovered from his body.

NDLEA Seizes 2,000kg of Ghanaian Loud in Lagos

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Lagos intercepted a massive 2,000-kilogram consignment of Ghanaian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, at Lekki Beach on Wednesday, January 29.

Two suspects, Sunday Awoyede and Christopher Cletus, were caught attempting to load the illicit shipment into a truck. They were immediately taken into custody along with the seized drugs and vehicle.