Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have foiled multiple drug trafficking attempts across the country, including the arrest of a woman who faked pregnancy to conceal narcotics and an Ivorian national who excreted 82 wraps of cocaine at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
The arrests were part of a coordinated nationwide crackdown that also led to the apprehension of a Lagos-based real estate executive described by authorities as a suspected drug kingpin, a 68-year-old grandmother, and several other suspects across different states.
At the Seme land border in Lagos, NDLEA officers intercepted 35-year-old Kano businesswoman, Rabi Muhammad, as she attempted to cross into Cotonou, Benin Republic. During routine departure checks, operatives became suspicious of her protruding abdomen. A subsequent search revealed she had strapped a pink-coloured calabash to her stomach to simulate pregnancy. Concealed inside were 3,200 capsules of tramadol intended for cross-border distribution.
On the same day, operatives at the Kano airport stopped 41-year-old Ivorian national, Michael Gohouri, during clearance for an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 bound for Milan via Addis Ababa. A body scan confirmed ingestion of illicit substances, and under observation, he excreted 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49 kilogrammes.
Investigations indicated that Gohouri arrived in Lagos from Milan on January 17, 2026, travelled between Lagos and Enugu for three weeks, and later moved to Kano where he allegedly ingested the cocaine in a hotel room. He was reportedly promised €5,000 upon successful delivery in Milan. The suspect, who claims dual Nigerian and Ivorian heritage, holds an Italian resident permit valid until May 25, 2026, and possesses a Nigerian National Identification Number under a different name.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Trans Fortress Global Resources, Mr. Kolapo Oladapo Raji, 57, at his Safe Court Apartment residence in Ikate, Lekki, shortly after his return from the United Kingdom. He had reportedly been on the agency’s watchlist since 2025.
A search of his residence yielded four large bags containing 89.20 kilogrammes of “Canadian Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, as well as a 2024 Toyota Hilux vehicle. According to the agency, Raji admitted financing drug consignments for overseas associates before establishing his own distribution network.
In separate operations, Ugwuja Kingsley was arrested in Agbara, Lagos, with 56kg of skunk, while Ekwe Arinze was apprehended with 76kg at a motor park in Oshodi.
At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, NDLEA operatives, working in collaboration with Customs and other security agencies, intercepted 170,900 bottles of codeine-based syrup in a container following intelligence-led inspection.
Along the Okene/Lokoja highway in Kogi State, officers recovered 7,300 tramadol 225mg pills concealed in two sound systems aboard a commercial bus. Follow-up operations in Zuba, Abuja, led to the arrest of two suspects.
In Ondo State’s Iju forest, operatives arrested suspects found with a combined 393kg of skunk. In Bauchi State, 936kg of skunk was seized in Azare town, alongside additional arrests and recoveries totalling 85.8kg. In Delta State, 37kg of skunk was recovered from a female suspect in Ughelli.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives destroyed 1,266.8475kg of skunk on three farms in Owan West Local Government Area, recovered 23kg of processed cannabis, and arrested two suspects, including a 68-year-old grandmother.
Beyond enforcement, the agency intensified its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaign, conducting advocacy lectures and awareness programmes in schools and communities across Oyo, Yobe, Imo, Gombe, Cross River, Kano, and Lagos states.
Commending officers from various state commands, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Buba Marwa, praised the balanced strategy combining supply reduction with demand reduction efforts.
He said the operational successes underscore the agency’s sustained commitment to protecting the country from the harmful impact of illicit drug trafficking and abuse.
