A 48-year-old former commercial motorcycle rider has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after allegedly attempting to smuggle 100 wraps of methamphetamine through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
The suspect, Onyechere Daniel Chinedu, was intercepted on June 28, 2026, during inward passenger clearance at Terminal 2 after arriving on an Ethiopian Airlines flight. NDLEA operatives reportedly discovered part of the illicit drugs concealed in his luggage before uncovering more through further investigation.
According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, officers initially recovered 87 wraps of methamphetamine carefully hidden among clothes inside the suspect’s checked backpack. During questioning, Chinedu reportedly admitted that he had also swallowed additional drug pellets but could not recall how many.
The suspect was subsequently placed under medical observation for three days, during which he excreted 13 additional wraps, bringing the total to 100 wraps of methamphetamine with a combined weight of 1.715 kilograms.
Investigators said Chinedu confessed that he swallowed the drugs in Uganda before embarking on a journey intended to end in Madagascar, where he was allegedly expected to deliver the consignment. However, immigration authorities in Madagascar reportedly denied him entry.
Following the failed trip, his alleged handler in Uganda arranged for him to return to Nigeria via Addis Ababa. Upon his arrival in Lagos, NDLEA officers intercepted him during routine passenger screening, leading to his arrest.
During interrogation, Chinedu reportedly told investigators that he worked as an okada rider in the Oke-Afa area of Lagos for about 15 years before financial hardship pushed him into drug trafficking.
The NDLEA said investigations are ongoing as it intensifies efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks operating through Nigeria’s airports and other entry points.
