The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two Nigerians who allegedly ingested cocaine while attempting to travel from Abuja to Paris. The suspects, identified as Aliocus Odife and Sam Blackborn, were apprehended on October 28, 2026, during the clearance process for Air France flight AF 832 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

According to a statement from NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, the duo, who had returned to Nigeria for a holiday, were intercepted after body scans revealed the presence of foreign objects in their stomachs. Odife, who resides in France and works in a factory, had flown into Nigeria on October 21 and was arrested while preparing to return to Europe. He confessed to ingesting 110 wraps of cocaine, which weighed 1.901kg after he excreted them under observation.

Blackborn, his co-traveler, also tested positive for drug ingestion, admitting to swallowing 90 wraps of cocaine, which weighed 1.559kg. The total amount of cocaine seized from both men amounted to 3.46kg.

The NDLEA's statement highlighted the agency's ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking, noting that the arrests were part of a broader crackdown on illicit drug activities across the country. In recent operations, the agency reported significant seizures, including 976kg of cannabis from commercial vehicles in Lagos and various other drug-related arrests in Oyo and Kano states.

In Oyo State, two suspects were arrested while loading 554kg of cannabis into a truck, while in Kano, operatives confiscated 247,500 tablets of diazepam and 100,000 tablets of Exol-5 during a raid. Additionally, a woman was apprehended on the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway with 266 rounds of live ammunition, and a 68-year-old man was arrested with a large quantity of various drugs in another operation.

Brig-Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), the NDLEA chairman, emphasized the seriousness of drug trafficking, warning Nigerians abroad against using their overseas status as a cover for illegal activities. He stated, "The interception of the two cocaine couriers at Abuja airport is a fresh warning to those who think they can use their residence abroad as cover to traffic drugs across Nigerian borders. There is no hiding place for anyone who chooses to risk their life and liberty by ingesting illicit drugs for a fee."

Marwa commended the agency's operatives for their diligence and urged them to continue their efforts in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking, reinforcing the importance of drug demand reduction initiatives as part of the War Against Drug Abuse campaign.