75-Year-Old Man Arrested for Attempt to Smuggle an Illegal Substance Into London

75-Year-Old Man Arrested for Attempt to Smuggle an Illegal Substance Into London

  • A 75-year-old man has been arrested after being intercepted over an alleged attempt to smuggle an illegal substance to London during routine security checks
  • In a video account, he claimed the bag was handed to him by another man with instructions to deliver it, insisting he did not know its contents
  • Netizens who engaged in the comment section shared varied views on the elderly man’s situation, as the case continued to generate widespread discussion online

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A 75-year-old Nigerian man, identified as Emeka, has been arrested after being found in possession of a suspected illegal substance while preparing to travel to London.

75-Year-Old Man Arrested for Attempt to Smuggle Illegal Substance Into London, education, airport, London
Airport officials intercept an old man attempting to smuggle illegal substance to London. Image credit: Shutterstock, updateking_/Instagram.
Source: UGC

Emeka was intercepted after security personnel flagged his travelling bag for further inspection. During routine checks, officers detected a suspicious item, prompting them to separate him for closer examination.

Following standard security procedures, the contents of the bag were thoroughly examined and later confirmed to be an illegal substance.

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Emeka was immediately questioned at the scene. He explained that the bag was handed over to him by another individual, with instructions to deliver it in London. According to his account, he was told to contact the person upon arrival to receive further details on where to hand over the luggage.

He further maintained that he did not know the contents of the bag.

The incident has since gained wide attention online, sparking widespread discussions.

Security authorities have taken Emeka into custody, and investigations are ongoing as the case moves toward possible prosecution.

Watch the Instagram video below.

Nigeria jails Ariket to 45 years in prison

In another development, popular socialite and businesswoman Funmilayo Arike Ogbuaya, better known as Ariket, has been jailed for 45 years by a court in Nigeria.

Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, sentenced the owner of D Square Event Centre, Zu-Ket Homes, and D Square following legal proceedings.

Why was businesswoman Ariket jailed in Nigeria?

Ariket was sentenced to prison for her involvement in smuggling hard substances weighing 1.595kg to Saudi Arabia.

The court ruled that the case against her was proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

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The judge said:

"The prosecution has proved all the essential ingredients of the offences charged against the convict."

The businesswoman was found guilty after a trial that stemmed from the arrest of her co-defendant, Odeyemi Omolara (also known as Ariyo Monsurat Olabisi), at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in February 2017.

According to Justice Dipeolu, Ariket will serve a 15-year jail term on each of three counts, including conspiracy, possession, and unlawful exportation of the substance.

Her sentence will run concurrently, starting from 2017, when she was first arrested for her role in criminal activities.

The Instagram post detailing Ariket's 45-year jail term is below:

Nigerian businesswoman Ariket's arrest and aftermath

Ariket was indicted by a co-defendant, Odeyemi Omolara, a.k.a. Ariyo Monsurat Olabisi, who confessed during her arrest on February 23, 2017, that the renowned businesswoman was her master who gave her the substances for export to Saudi Arabia.

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The co-defendant was also sentenced to 25 years in prison then, and a security guard at Ariket’s residence testified against her, stating that Omolara slept at the socialite’s house the night before her arrest at the airport.

The guard also accused the businesswoman of personally driving Omolara to the airport on the day she got arrested and said that the bag used for the smuggling operation was delivered earlier by unidentified persons.

In her defence, Ariket admitted knowing Omolara but denied involvement in substance smuggling.

She claimed she only gave her money for assistance and was unaware of any substances despite dropping her off at the airport on the day of the arrest.

Her lawyer, Yakubu Galadima, pleaded for leniency, citing her status as a first-time offender with dependents.

However, the court ruled in line with the law, upholding her conviction on all counts.

Ariket, Ariket jailed in Nigeria, Funmilayo Arike Ogbuaya, Nigerian businesswoman sentenced, Federal High Court Ikoyi, Criminal activities in Nigeria, D Square Event Centre, Businesswoman, Socialite
Popular Nigerian socialite and businesswoman Ariket is going to serve 45 years in prison for substance smuggling. Photo source: @instablog9ja, Doug Berry/Getty Images
Source: Facebook

SA businessman named in fraud case

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a South African businessman, Siyabonga Moses, was named in the major ESKOM fraud case.

According to reports, the business mogul who is married to influencer Leleti Nkosi was accused of defrauding Eskom, South Africa's state-owned power supplier, by inflating the costs of contracts awarded to him.

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Siyabonga's assets, including several properties and cars worth millions of dollars, were frozen.

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Ruth Sekyi avatar

Ruth Sekyi (Entertainment Editor) Ruth Esi Amfua Sekyi is a Human Interest Editor at YEN.com.gh with 4+ years' experience across radio, print, TV, and digital media. She holds a B.A. in Communications (PR) from UNIMAC-IJ. Her media career began at Radio GIJ (campus radio), followed by Prime News Ghana. At InstinctWave, she worked on business content, playing major role in events organized by the company. She also worked with ABC News GH, updating their site, served as Production Assistant. In 2025, Ruth completed the ECOWAS, GIZ, and MFWA Information Integrity training. Email: ruth.sekyi@yen.com.gh