The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has taken into custody Uche Onyekwere, a Nigeria-born businessman, over an alleged attempt to bring cocaine into the country from Brazil.
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said the arrest took place at the arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, on January 29, following intelligence that prompted a detailed screening.
The agency said officers subjected Onyekwere to a body scan which uncovered a “large wrap of white powdery substance” “tied around his right thigh”.
The NDLEA added that “two additional wraps” were discovered “hidden in the soles of a pair of flat shoes he was wearing”.
According to the agency, the recovered cocaine weighed a total of 1.60 kilogrammes.
The NDLEA spokesperson said during preliminary questioning that Onyekwere admitted purchasing the cocaine in Brazil “with the intention of reselling it in Nigeria”.
The suspect reportedly said the proceeds were meant to support his business and fund the naming ceremony of his newborn child.
The NDLEA said Onyekwere also disclosed that he has lived in São Paulo since 2008, where he has run a toy business for about nine years.
The agency said the arrest formed part of a series of coordinated interdictions carried out nationwide within the past week.
