Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered multiple drug trafficking operations across Nigeria, arrested several suspects including a woman who concealed drugs in a fake pregnancy, an Ivorian national who ingested cocaine, and a real estate chief executive alleged to be leading a drug distribution network.
The agency disclosed on Sunday that its officers intercepted a 35-year-old Kano-based businesswoman, Rabi Muhammad, at the Seme border in Lagos while attempting to cross into Cotonou, Benin Republic. The suspect, who appeared pregnant, was stopped during routine checks on February 16, 2026. A detailed search revealed her pregnancy was fake, with a pink-coloured calabash strapped to her stomach concealing 3,200 capsules of tramadol intended for sale abroad.
On the same day, NDLEA operatives at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport intercepted a 41-year-old Ivorian national, Michael Gohouri, during passenger clearance for an Ethiopian Airlines flight bound for Milan via Addis Ababa. A body scan confirmed he had ingested illicit substances. Under observation, he excreted 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49 kilograms. Investigations revealed he allegedly planned to deliver the drugs in Italy for a payment of €5,000.
In a related development, NDLEA officers arrested the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Trans Fortress Global Resources, Mr. Kolapo Oladapo Raji, at his residence in Ikate, Lekki, Lagos, following months of surveillance. The 57-year-old suspect, who had been on the agency’s watchlist since 2025, was apprehended shortly after returning from the United Kingdom. A search of his apartment reportedly led to the recovery of 89.20 kilograms of “Canadian Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, along with a 2024 Toyota Hilux vehicle. He allegedly admitted financing drug consignments before establishing his own distribution network.
The agency also recorded several other arrests and seizures nationwide. In Lagos, suspects Ugwuja Kingsley and Ekwe Arinze were arrested separately with 56kg and 76kg of skunk respectively at Agbara and Oshodi. At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State, NDLEA officers, in collaboration with Customs and other security agencies, uncovered 170,900 bottles of codeine-based syrup concealed in a container following intelligence-led inspection.
Along the Okene–Lokoja highway in Kogi State, operatives recovered 7,300 tramadol pills hidden inside sound systems in a commercial bus travelling from Lagos to Kano. Follow-up operations led to the arrest of two suspects in Zuba, Abuja.
In Ondo State, two suspects were arrested in Iju forest with a combined 393kg of skunk and cannabis seeds, while in Bauchi State, operatives seized 936kg of skunk from a suspect in Azare town and recovered an additional 85.8kg from three accomplices.
Further operations in Delta and Edo states resulted in the seizure of 37kg of skunk in Ughelli and the destruction of over 1,266kg of cannabis farms in Owan West Local Government Area. Two suspects, including a 68-year-old grandmother, were arrested during the raids.
Beyond enforcement actions, NDLEA commands nationwide intensified their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns, conducting awareness programmes in schools and communities across Oyo, Yobe, Imo, Gombe, Cross River, Kano and Lagos states.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers across multiple commands for the successful operations, noting that the agency’s balanced approach combining drug supply reduction with preventive education continues to yield positive results.
