Businessman Arrested at Lagos Airport with Cocaine Shipment

On September 27, 2026, Philip Tunde, a 38-year-old businessman, was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. He was found with 4.80 kilograms of cocaine hidden in the soles of shoes and the railings of travelling bags as he prepared to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan, Italy.

A search of his luggage revealed 16 parcels of cocaine concealed in eight pairs of trainers and canvas shoes, along with 195 wraps hidden in four travelling bags. Tunde disclosed that he paid N16 million in cash for the cocaine, which he intended to deliver to a business partner in Italy, funding the purchase with compensation received after losing two fingers in an accident while working at a plastic manufacturing company in Italy.

NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi stated that this arrest was part of a broader operation targeting drug trafficking, which also included significant seizures of illicit drugs at various ports.