A 74-year-old man has been taken into custody by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency after a significant quantity of cocaine was allegedly discovered hidden in his luggage at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

The suspect, identified as Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, was intercepted while preparing to travel abroad, according to a statement released on Sunday by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi.

Babafemi said the elderly man was arrested at the departure section of the airport while attempting to board a British Airways flight bound for London.

According to the agency, the suspect had claimed he was travelling to the United Kingdom for a vacation before officials conducted a routine search of his baggage.

During the inspection, NDLEA officers reportedly discovered several packages of cocaine concealed among food items in the luggage. The illicit substance, weighing about 11 kilograms, had been wrapped in foil sheets and balloons and hidden inside ground dry pepper in an apparent attempt to evade detection.

Babafemi noted that the suspect was preparing to board Flight BA082 heading to Heathrow Airport in London when he was apprehended on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

The NDLEA said investigations into the case are ongoing as the agency continues its efforts to curb drug trafficking through Nigeria’s international airports.

The agency has repeatedly warned drug traffickers that security checks at airports have been strengthened to detect illegal substances being smuggled out of the country.