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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