Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 43-year-old make-up artist, Adekoya Adebukonla Mary, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, after cocaine weighing 2.2 kilograms was discovered concealed in the walls of her suitcase. The suspect, who claimed she was travelling to India for fibroid surgery, was intercepted on Monday, June 16, 2025, as she prepared to board a Qatar Airways flight to India via Doha.
According to NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the arrest followed credible intelligence. Officers kept Adekoya under surveillance and allowed her to check in her luggage before apprehending her at the boarding gate. Upon searching her bag, two large parcels of cocaine were found factory-fitted within the suitcase.
During interrogation, she admitted she agreed to smuggle the drugs for financial gain, using the alleged medical trip as a cover. Investigations revealed that she was recruited and funded by a fleeing drug baron, Akeem Ayinde Adekanbi, who owns Rockford Hotel in the Sango area of Ogun State and resides in Igbe Laara, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos.
In a continued nationwide crackdown, NDLEA operatives also intercepted multiple drug consignments and arrested several suspects in other parts of the country. In Lagos, a shipment destined for Bahrain containing 1.3 kilograms of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, was intercepted at a courier company. The drugs had been cleverly concealed in sewn female dresses. In a related operation a day earlier, cocaine weighing 850 grams was discovered hidden in cloth hangers bound for Australia.
Elsewhere, NDLEA officers made significant seizures on highways and during coordinated raids. In Bauchi, two men travelling along the Bauchi-Darazo road were found in possession of over one million opioid pills, including tramadol, diazepam, and exol-5. Along the Kaduna-Zaria expressway, another suspect was arrested with over 14 kilograms of skunk disguised in sacks of charcoal, along with 198 kilograms of rubber solution packed in cartons.
In Abuja, a raid on Karu Abattoir and Torabora areas led to the arrest of six individuals and the recovery of 6.9 kilograms of skunk and 59 grams of methamphetamine. NDLEA officers in Kano State also recorded multiple arrests, seizing over 120 kilograms of illicit drugs including skunk, tramadol, and pentazocine in operations along Zaria-Kano Road and Fagge Local Government Area.
A student of Kwara State Polytechnic, identified as Olotin Nifemi, was also arrested at her base in Ilorin with 1 kilogram of skunk. She is reportedly known for selling drugs to fellow students.
In Edo State, operatives destroyed more than 4.2 tonnes of cannabis at a forest camp in Owan West Local Government Area and arrested one suspect. Additional raids in Esan West and Igueben LGAs led to the arrest of two female suspects and the seizure of assorted drugs including Colorado, Loud, Molly, and various opioids.
The NDLEA has reaffirmed its resolve to dismantle drug trafficking networks across the country. With intelligence-driven operations and targeted enforcement, the agency continues to disrupt the distribution of illicit substances, protect communities, and bring offenders to justice.
