Nigerian man arrested in India with ₦290M worth of illicit drugs

A man from Nigeria has been arrested in Bengaluru, India, after being accused of leading a significant drug trafficking operation. Authorities seized MDMA crystals, commonly known as ecstasy, valued at roughly Rs 2 crore (over N290 million).

This arrest is part of a larger effort by authorities to crack down on drug activities in the city, specifically those targeting students and the general public.

As reported by the Indian Express on Tuesday, Samuel Ikkena, 44, was taken into custody by the Yelahanka police in Bengaluru, Karnataka State. He is suspected of running an MDMA distribution network while hiding it under the guise of a clothing business. MDMA, or ecstasy, is a psychoactive drug that is frequently sold illegally for recreational purposes.

Ikkena reportedly “procured MDMA near Bannerghatta for Rs 50,000 (around N3.5 million) and sold it at higher rates through a structured illegal network.”

Ikenna first came to India in 2012 with a business visa. He started out trading clothes in Delhi and Mumbai, and then moved to Bengaluru in 2025.

According to the police, investigators found 2 kg of MDMA crystals, which they say is worth about Rs 2 crore (N140 million). They also recovered 31.396 kg of cannabis (known locally as ganja), 220 g of hydroponically grown cannabis, some additional heroin, and a two-wheeler that was used to move the drugs around.

Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh mentioned that the total value of all the illegal substances seized is "estimated at Rs 2.57 crore (N180 million), with a potential street value of around Rs 5.14 crore (N360 million)."

Ikenna's arrest was part of a bigger operation that led to 11 people being arrested, including two foreigners and eight residents of the country. These arrests happened at various spots across Bengaluru, like Yelahanka, Adugodi, Bharathinagar, Jalahalli, and Pulakeshinagar. The Adugodi police also picked up Baljit Singh, who is from Uttar Pradesh, and Arjun Joshi, a citizen of Nepal, on suspicion of supplying heroin in the city.

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The police explained that Joshi, who used to just take drugs himself, started selling heroin after getting it from Baljit Singh. Authorities found 162 g of heroin worth Rs 55 lakh (N3.85 million) and three mobile phones on the two men.

Police said the accused got their drugs from suppliers both overseas and from other states, and then sold them for much higher prices. Investigators have opened cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and are now trying to find the main bosses running this drug network.

Findings by the National Bureau of Statistics show that Nigeria’s drug abuse rate stands at 14.4%, nearly three times the global average. Stakeholders say the solution lies in unity, prevention, and rehabilitation.