Udechukwu Ekene Theophilus, a Nigerian citizen who had recently returned from Brazil, was apprehended by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The arrest took place on January 21, 2024, during the inward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight. Theophilus had ingested a staggering 60 large wraps of cocaine, weighing a total of 1.279 kilograms. Initially, he attempted to avoid detection by refusing to undergo a body scan, citing health concerns.
However, when presented with alternative options, he agreed to be placed under excretion observation. Subsequently, he excreted the first batch of cocaine pellets and continued to do so until a total of 60 wraps were expelled.
Theophilus confessed that he had swallowed the drugs in Brazil and intended to discharge them upon arrival in Addis Ababa, but was only able to excrete 15 pellets before handing them over to a fellow member of his syndicate.
