The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 25-year-old businessman and newlywed Lovely Chukwulobelu over allegations that he tried to traffic cocaine to Portugal.
In a statement signed on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Chukwulobelu was intercepted on Thursday, September 25, 2026, at the departure hall of Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA), Enugu, as he attempted to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Portugal by way of Addis Ababa.
The NDLEA stated that the suspect had swallowed 72 wraps of cocaine and was kept under observation for excretion following his arrest.
He later excreted all 72 wraps of the Class A illicit drug.
According to the agency, the suspect was wearing his wedding ring at the time of his arrest.
Chukwulobelu reportedly informed investigators that he had previously run a car decoration business at the Trade Fair Complex in the Ojo area of Lagos before moving to Portugal in May 2023.
He had come back to Nigeria recently and tied the knot on September 13, 2026.
The suspect allegedly claimed he resorted to drug trafficking in a bid to cover expenses he incurred during his wedding.
In another significant operation, NDLEA operatives at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, confiscated 2,550,000 pills of opioids during a joint examination of three monitored consignments.
The agency said the consignments held Tramaking 225 mg, Tramaking 250 mg, and Royal Tapentadol 250 mg, with a total gross weight of 1,640.55 kg.
The consignments were brought in from India and Bangladesh via Qatar Airways, RwandAir, and Ethiopian Airlines.
