By Emmanuella Opara | November 15th, 2026
KEY POINTS
- NDLEA said it arrested 28-year-old American basketball player Greene Da’monte Khiree at a Lagos airport on Wednesday.
- The agency recovered 33.95kg of cannabis in two checked-in bags bearing his name.
- NDLEA said information found on his mobile phone suggested he knew about and was involved in the drug trafficking operation.
MAIN STORY
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested an American professional basketball player, Greene Da’monte Khiree, after recovering 33.95kg of cannabis from two bags at an international airport in Lagos.
The 28-year-old, from Georgia in the United States, was arrested on Wednesday at the airport car park after allegedly abandoning his checked-in luggage and attempting to leave with only his carry-on bag.
According to the agency, the two abandoned bags carried his name tags and contained 16 packs of a potent strain of cannabis.
NDLEA said Khiree arrived in Lagos from Thailand, where he claimed to have lived and played professional basketball since October 2025.
The agency said he told investigators that he was visiting Nigeria to build networks for his basketball career. However, an examination of his mobile phone reportedly revealed information suggesting his knowledge of and involvement in the drug trafficking activity.
The International Basketball Federation, FIBA, lists a player named DaMonte Greene as a point guard. One of his recent appearances was at the Phuket Elite Cup in September.
THE ISSUES
The arrest highlights the use of international travel routes to move illicit drugs into Nigeria. The circumstances described by the NDLEA, particularly the alleged abandonment of the checked-in bags and the information reportedly recovered from the suspect’s phone, form part of the agency’s account of the incident.
The case also draws attention to the distinction between drug trafficking operations and the domestic market for illicit substances. While Nigeria has been identified as a transit and production point for drugs destined for other countries, researchers say some of the drugs also enter local markets.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
The NDLEA said the suspect “was observed abandoning his two checked-in bags before attempting to exit the airport with only his carry-on luggage”.
The agency also said examination of his mobile phone showed information suggesting his “knowledge of and involvement in the drug trafficking activity”.
WHAT’S NEXT
The NDLEA has not provided further details in the report about possible charges, court proceedings or the suspect’s legal representation.
BOTTOM LINE
The NDLEA said it recovered 33.95kg of cannabis from two checked-in bags allegedly abandoned by an American basketball player at a Lagos airport. The agency’s investigation centres on the circumstances surrounding the luggage and information reportedly found on his phone.
