Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have successfully broken up an international drug syndicate, leading to the arrest of an Ivorian national and a 69-year-old medical doctor suspected of cocaine trafficking.
Femi Babafemi, the agency's spokesperson, announced the development on Sunday, April 11, 2026. The Ivorian suspect, identified as Gohouri Michael, aged 41, was apprehended at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano. His arrest occurred during the final clearance procedures for passengers boarding an Ethiopian Airlines flight bound for Milan, Italy, with an intermediate stop in Addis Ababa.
According to the NDLEA statement, Gohouri was found to have concealed and ingested 82 wraps of cocaine, with the total weight amounting to 1.49 kilograms.
Subsequent intelligence gathered by the agency pointed to a suspected coordinator of the operation, which prompted further action leading to the arrest of the medical doctor, identified as Dr. Chudi Ofomata, in Ogun State.
The NDLEA agents successfully tracked the doctor to his residence located in Magboro, within the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. He was taken into custody on March 27, 2026.
"Efforts to uncover local collaborators of an international drug syndicate yielded positive results following the arrest of an Ivorian, Gohouri Michael, 41, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano with 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49kg and the subsequent arrest of a 69-year-old medical doctor, Dr. Chudi Daniel Ofomata in a follow-up operation in Ogun state," the statement detailed.
The statement further elaborated that Michael Gohouri, also known by the name Anunwa Onyinye Michael, was apprehended on Monday, February 16, 2026. This occurred during the passenger clearance process for Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940, scheduled to fly to Milan Malpensa via Addis Ababa.
"Gohouri had arrived in Lagos from Milan, Italy on January 17, 2026, and had been travelling between Lagos and Enugu for three weeks," the report stated.
"He subsequently travelled to Kano, where he remained for a week before ingesting the cocaine consignment in his hotel room. He was reportedly promised a payment of 5,000 Euros upon successful delivery of the drugs in Milan.
"Further investigation by the NDLEA revealed that Gohouri had a clandestine figure directing him on how to transport the cocaine through the airport.
"The individual orchestrating Gohouri's actions was eventually identified as Dr. Chudi Daniel Ofomata. He was later located and apprehended at his residence in Teachers’ Land estate, Magboro, Obafemi Owode LGA, Ogun state on March 27, 2026. He was then transported to Kano on Tuesday, April 7.
"Seized from him at the point of arrest were 63 grams of promazepam and 7 ampoules of promethazine injection."
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