Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have foiled multiple drug trafficking attempts across Nigeria, including the arrest of a woman who concealed narcotics in a fake pregnancy and an Ivorian national who excreted 82 wraps of cocaine at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano.

The anti-narcotics agency also confirmed the arrest of a Lagos-based real estate chief executive accused of leading a drug cartel, alongside several other suspects in coordinated operations across Lagos, Edo, Bauchi, Ondo, Delta and Kogi states.

Fake Baby Bump Conceals 3,200 Tramadol Capsules

NDLEA operatives intercepted a 35-year-old businesswoman, Rabi Muhammad, at the departure point of the Seme land border on Monday, February 16, 2026, as she attempted to cross into Cotonou, Benin Republic.

Officers became suspicious of her protruding stomach during routine checks. A thorough body search revealed that her pregnancy was fake. Instead, she had strapped a pink-coloured calabash to her abdomen, concealing 3,200 capsules of tramadol intended for sale in Cotonou.

Ivorian Excretes 82 Cocaine Wraps at Kano Airport

On the same day in Kano, NDLEA operatives at MAKIA intercepted a 41-year-old Ivorian, Michael Gohouri, also known as Anunwa Onyinye Michael, during passenger clearance for Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 to Milan via Addis Ababa.

A body scan confirmed he had ingested illicit substances. He was subsequently placed under observation, during which he excreted 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49 kilograms.

Investigations revealed that Gohouri had arrived in Lagos from Milan on January 17, 2026, and spent three weeks shuttling between Lagos and Enugu before travelling to Kano, where he ingested the cocaine in a hotel room. He reportedly stood to earn €5,000 upon successful delivery of the drugs in Milan.

The suspect, who claimed mixed Ivorian and Nigerian parentage, applied for asylum in Italy in 2013 and holds a resident permit valid until May 25, 2026. He also possesses a Nigerian National Identification Number bearing the name Anunwa Onyinye Michael.

Real Estate CEO Arrested with 89.2kg ‘Canadian Loud’

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Trans Fortress Global Resources, Kolapo Oladapo Raji, 57, at his Safe Court Apartment residence in Ikate, Lekki, on Thursday, February 12, 2026.

Raji, who had been on the NDLEA watchlist since 2025, was apprehended shortly after returning from the United Kingdom. A search of his residence led to the recovery of four large bags containing 89.2 kilograms of “Canadian Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis. A 2024 Toyota Hilux was also recovered at the point of arrest.

According to investigators, Raji admitted financing drug consignments for an overseas associate before establishing his own distribution network after reportedly earning hundreds of millions of naira in profits.

Massive Seizures Across States

In separate operations in Lagos, NDLEA officers arrested Ugwuja Kingsley with 56kg of skunk at Agbara on February 19, while Ekwe Arinze was caught with 76kg of the same substance at a motor park in Oshodi on February 17.

At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State, NDLEA officers, in collaboration with Customs and other security agencies, uncovered 170,900 bottles of codeine-based syrup in a container following a 100 percent physical examination prompted by intelligence reports.

Along the Okene/Lokoja highway in Kogi State, operatives recovered 7,300 pills of tramadol (225mg) concealed in two sound systems in a commuter bus travelling from Lagos to Kano. Follow-up operations in Zuba, Abuja, led to the arrest of two suspects linked to the consignment.

In Ondo State, 195kg of skunk and seeds were seized from a suspect in Iju forest, while another 198kg was recovered from a separate suspect during raids on forest enclaves.

A significant haul of 936kg of skunk was seized from a suspect in Azare town, Bauchi State, with an additional 85.8kg recovered from other suspects in the same area.

In Delta State, officers seized 37kg of skunk from a female suspect in Ughelli. Meanwhile, in Edo State, operatives raided farms at Etiosa camp in Owan West Local Government Area, destroying 1,266.8475kg of skunk and recovering 23kg of processed cannabis. A 68-year-old grandmother and a 43-year-old man were arrested in connection with the operation.

War Against Drug Abuse Intensifies

Beyond enforcement, the agency said its Commands nationwide sustained sensitisation campaigns under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative, targeting schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities across several states.

Commending officers of the MAKIA, Seme, Lagos, Edo, Bauchi, Port Harcourt, Ondo, Delta and Kogi Commands, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised their operational successes and balanced approach to drug supply and demand reduction.

The agency reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying the fight against illicit drug trafficking and abuse across the country.

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Troops of the Nigerian Army under 6 Brigade/Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke have intercepted a suspected gun-runner and recovered 969 rounds of ammunition during a stop-and-search operation in Taraba State.

The suspect, identified as Monday Reuben, 48, was arrested on February 21, 2026, at Sarkin Kudu in Ibi Local Government Area following what the Army described as actionable and credible intelligence.

According to a statement issued by Lieutenant Umar Muhammad, Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 6 Brigade, vigilant troops on sentry duty flagged down an Audi vehicle with registration number RBC 798 DV (Abuja). A thorough search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a cache of arms, ammunition and other items.

Recovered from the suspect were two AK-47 rifles, 197 empty magazines, one box of 7.62 x 51mm NATO ammunition containing 250 rounds, 14 packs of 9mm Parabellum ammunition comprising 700 rounds, and 19 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.

The troops also recovered ₦2,440,000 in cash, a wallet containing four identification cards and four ATM cards, one Android phone, one Itel keypad phone, a power bank, eight bottles of perfume, a rechargeable touch light, and assorted local charms.

The suspect, who hails from Numan Local Government Area of Adamawa State, is currently in military custody alongside the recovered items and will be handed over to appropriate authorities for further investigation and necessary action.

Commander of 6 Brigade/Sector 3 OPWS, Brigadier General Chukwuemeka Micheal Akaliro, commended the troops for their alertness and professionalism. He urged them to sustain the operational tempo in line with the directive of the Chief of Army Staff to rid Taraba State of criminal elements and threats to lives and property.

Akaliro further reiterated that the Brigade would continue to implement its reward and sanction policy, assuring that officers and soldiers involved in the successful operation would be duly recognized for their diligence and commitment to duty.

The latest interception underscores ongoing efforts by security forces to curb the proliferation of illegal arms and sustain peace across Taraba State.

By PRNigeria

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The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has said law enforcement agencies have arrested 651 suspects and recovered over $4.3 million during a major crackdown on online fraud across African countries, including Nigeria and Kenya.

According to the press statement issued on Thursday, February 19, 2026, the sting, codenamed Operation Red Card 2.0, ran from December 8, 2025, to January 30, 2026, targeting high-yield investment scams, mobile money fraud and fraudulent loan applications.

According to the press statement issued on Thursday, February 19, 2026, investigations during the operation uncovered scams linked to more than $45 million in financial losses and identified 1,217 victims, mostly from Africa.

“Law enforcement agencies from 16 African countries have made 651 arrests and recovered more than USD 4.3 million in an international cybercrime operation against online scams,” the statement read.

Operation Red Card 2.0 (8 December 2025 to 30 January 2026) targeted the infrastructure and actors behind high-yield investment scams, mobile money fraud and fraudulent mobile loan applications.

During the eight-week operation, investigations exposed scams linked to over USD 45 million in financial losses and identified 1,247 victims, predominantly from the African continent but also from other regions of the world.

Authorities also seized 2,341 devices and took down 1,442 malicious IPs, domains and servers, as well as other related infrastructure.

INTERPOL supported the operation through critical intelligence sharing, real-time information exchange and capacity-building activities, including training on digital forensic tools.

“These organized cybercriminal syndicates inflict devastating financial and psychological harm on individuals, businesses and entire communities with their false promises. Operation Red Card highlights the importance of collaboration when combatting transnational cybercrime. I encourage all victims of cybercrime to reach out to law enforcement for help,” Neal Jetton, INTERPOL’s Director of the Cybercrime Directorate.

According to the statement, In Nigeria, police dismantled a high-yield investment fraud ring that recruited young individuals to carry out cyber-enabled crimes using phishing, identity theft, social engineering and fake digital asset investment schemes. Over 1,000 fraudulent social media accounts were taken down and investigators uncovered a residential property constructed by the syndicate ringleader to serve as the operational hub for the criminal activities.

In Kenya, authorities made 27 arrests linked to fraud schemes that used messaging apps, social media and fictitious testimonials to lure victims into making fake investments in reputable global corporations. Scammers solicited small initial investments ‒ as low as USD 50 ‒ with claims of lucrative returns. Victims were shown fabricated account statements or dashboards but withdrawal requests were systematically blocked.

In Côte d’Ivoire, law enforcement made 58 arrests and seized 240 mobile phones, 25 laptops and over 300 SIM cards in a targeted operation against mobile loan fraud. These scams predominantly targeted vulnerable populations through deceptive mobile applications and messaging services, attracting victims with promises of quick, unsecured loans, only to impose fees, enforce abusive debt-collection practices and illicitly harvest sensitive personal and financial data.

In a separate major success for Nigerian authorities, six members of a sophisticated cybercrime syndicate were arrested for infiltrating the internal platform of a major telecommunications provider through compromised staff login credentials. An investigation led to the disruption of the scheme, which involved siphoning significant volumes of airtime and data for illegal resale.

During Operation Red Card 2.0, INTERPOL worked closely with its partners, Cybercrime Atlas, Team Cymru, Trend Micro, TRM Labs and Uppsala Security, leveraging their data and expertise to provide critical intelligence to participating countries.

The operation was conducted under the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC), an initiative funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

The Global Action on Cybercrime Enhanced (GLACY-e) project, a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe, provided operation-specific support.

Participating member countries include, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Chad, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

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