The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its crackdown on illicit drug networks with the arrest of a medical doctor and an Ivorian national allegedly involved in cocaine trafficking.
The agency said the Ivorian suspect, Gohouri Michael, 41, was apprehended at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport during the outward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Milan, Italy, via Addis Ababa.
According to a statement on Sunday by NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, Gohouri was found to have ingested 82 wraps of cocaine, weighing 1.49kg.
“Gohouri had arrived in Lagos from Milan, Italy, on January 17, 2026, and was shuttling between Lagos and Enugu for three weeks. He later travelled to Kano, where he stayed for a week before ingesting the cocaine consignment in his hotel room.
“He is expected to be paid 5,000 euros when he delivers the drugs in Milan. Further investigation by the NDLEA revealed that Gohouri had a shadowy figure behind the scenes, giving him instructions on how to move the cocaine consignment through the airport,” the statement read.
Babafemi said further intelligence uncovered a suspected coordinator behind the operation, leading to the arrest of a 69-year-old medical doctor, Dr Chudi Ofomata, in Ogun State.
He said NDLEA operatives tracked the doctor to his residence in Magboro, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area, where he was arrested on March 27, 2026.
Further investigation by the NDLEA revealed that Gohouri had a shadowy figure behind the scenes, giving him instructions on how to move the cocaine consignment through the airport.
“The hidden figure behind Gohouri was eventually discovered to be Dr Chudi Ofomata, who was later tracked to his residence at Teachers’ Land Estate, Magboro, Obafemi Owode LGA, Ogun State, where he was arrested on March 27, 2026, and flown to Kano on Tuesday, April 7.
“Recovered from him at the point of arrest were 63 grams of promazepam and seven ampoules of promethazine injection,” the statement added.
The arrests were part of ongoing efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and their collaborators.
