LAGOS — The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a Chinese grandmother at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos after discovering illicit drugs concealed in her luggage. National Accord Newspaper confirmed the arrest on Monday. The agency said the woman arrived on an international flight and was flagged during routine screening.
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa confirmed the arrest. He said the drugs were discovered through a combination of X-ray scanning and physical examination of the suspect’s bags. The nature and quantity of the seized substances were not immediately disclosed in full detail pending further laboratory analysis.
Marwa said the arrest demonstrates that drug traffickers come in all forms and should never be profiled solely by age, gender, or nationality. He said NDLEA officers are trained to screen all travellers equally regardless of appearance. He commended the operatives at MMIA for their vigilance.
A Growing Pattern
The arrest of a Chinese national at Lagos Airport is the latest in a series of international drug trafficking cases involving foreign nationals that NDLEA has handled in 2026. Earlier in May, three Mexican nationals were arrested in connection with an industrial meth laboratory discovered in Ogun State forest.
The growing involvement of foreign nationals in Nigerian drug trafficking operations suggests that international criminal networks are increasingly using Nigeria as both a transit point and a production base. NDLEA said it is working with Interpol and foreign intelligence agencies to disrupt these networks at the source.
Airport security at MMIA has been operating at elevated vigilance levels in 2026, combining narcotics screening with the Ebola health surveillance measures introduced following Nigeria’s high-risk classification. The simultaneous demands on airport health and security staff have required additional staffing and coordination.
Discover more from News247 Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
