The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 34-year-old Ugandan woman allegedly attempting to smuggle 1.15kg of cocaine out of Nigeria after concealing 87 wraps of the illicit substance around her pelvic region.

The suspect, identified as Farida Nansubuga, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, while preparing to board a flight to Uganda.

The agency disclosed this in a statement, explaining that Nansubuga had arrived in Nigeria with members of her church for a spiritual renewal programme but allegedly remained behind to collect a cocaine consignment for delivery to her home country.

According to the NDLEA, the arrest occurred on November 3, 2026, during a joint passenger screening exercise involving its operatives and aviation security personnel at Terminal 2 of the airport.

A body search reportedly raised suspicion of an object concealed around her pelvic region, prompting officers to take her to a designated private search room for further examination.

The search led to the recovery of 87 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.15 kilogrammes, which were strapped around her pelvic region and secured beneath two layers of underwear.

During preliminary questioning, Nansubuga reportedly told investigators that she arrived in Nigeria on October 29 with members of her church for a prayer session at The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos.

She allegedly disclosed that while other members of her delegation returned to Uganda after the programme, she stayed behind to collect the drugs on behalf of a friend identified only as Joy, who lives in Uganda.

The suspect reportedly said Joy connected her with a contact in Nigeria, who arranged transportation to a hotel on the morning of her scheduled departure.

She claimed that the man handed her the cocaine and instructed her to conceal it beneath her clothing to evade airport security checks.

Although no specific payment was agreed upon, Nansubuga allegedly expected to receive at least $1,000 after successfully delivering the consignment.

In a separate operation at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives intercepted 750,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg, weighing 526 kilogrammes and valued at about ₦900m.

The opioid consignment, which arrived from Ahmedabad, India, aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight on November 3, was falsely declared as Paracetamol 500mg tablets.

The drugs were packed in 11 cartons concealed inside two wooden structures and were intercepted on November 6 following a joint examination by NDLEA operatives, Nigeria Customs Service officers and other security agencies.

According to the agency, the opioid tablets were discovered in 10 of the cartons, while the remaining carton contained paracetamol tablets allegedly used as cover.

The agency also intercepted 32 parcels of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis weighing 16.15kg, concealed inside two wooden sofas in a consolidated cargo from Houston, Texas, United States.

The consignment arrived aboard a Turkish Airlines flight, while a freight agent, Ibrahim Abdulwaheed Adewale, was arrested when he presented himself to clear the package.

A follow-up operation on November 6 led to the arrest of a 34-year-old caterer from Ibadan, Oyo State, Adeoye Sarafa Ojo, who reportedly came to collect the consignment.

Ojo allegedly told investigators that he was acting on the instructions of a friend, identified as Taiwo Anuoluwapo Olusegun.

The NDLEA further disclosed that it had dismantled a syndicate allegedly involved in importing chemicals used in the production of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis, from the United Kingdom.

The breakthrough followed the interception of nine parcels concealed in two cartons of snacks labelled “Michael Tea Guy” in a consolidated cargo that arrived aboard an Air Peace flight from the UK on October 23.

Two of the parcels contained 1.20kg of cannabis, while forensic analysis confirmed that the remaining seven contained chemicals used in manufacturing synthetic cannabis.

A 51-year-old freight agent, Afolabi Abiodun Wale, was arrested while attempting to clear the consignment.

Investigations subsequently led to the arrival of two additional cartons for the same recipient aboard an Allied Air flight from the UK.

A sting operation conducted between October 26 and 28 resulted in the arrest of another suspect, 51-year-old Okwuite Benjamin Ojone, when he allegedly took delivery of the four cartons.

A search of the additional packages uncovered three parcels weighing 3.30kg concealed inside two packs of detergent, alongside 11 plastic bottles containing mostly liquid substances weighing 16.25kg.

The total seizure from the operation comprised 1.20kg of cannabis and 28.65kg of chemicals suspected to be used in producing synthetic cannabis.

At courier companies in Lagos, NDLEA operatives also intercepted 46 blocks of cannabis weighing 22.2kg, packed in two cartons and destined for the United Kingdom.

Earlier, on October 30, officers intercepted 296 tablets of Swinol being shipped from Lagos to Australia.

Three separate tramadol consignments heading to the UK were also seized. They included 20 capsules from Benin City and 96 capsules from Sapele, Delta State, concealed in vitamin C containers, as well as 600 tablets of Tramadol 225mg from Asaba, hidden inside women’s headwear.

Drug raids across states

In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested a 32-year-old man, Abubakar Ali, at Marine Beach, Apapa, on November 6.

The suspect was apprehended after officers discovered a concealed drug storage facility inside a small store he had constructed within the sitting room of his apartment.

Items recovered included 1.06kg of Tramadol 250mg, 1.27kg of Tramadol 225mg, 400 grammes of pregabalin capsules, 355 grammes of diazepam, 200ml of codeine and 6.07kg of cannabis.

In Ondo State, operatives raided Odofin Road, Uso, on November 6, recovering 148 bags of cannabis weighing 1,818kg.

On the same day, officers stormed a cannabis farm in Board Forest, where they destroyed a one-hectare plantation, recovered 242kg of the substance and arrested a 36-year-old suspect, Itoro Linus Akpan.

In neighbouring Ekiti State, a 53-year-old man, Agbo Paul Peter, was arrested at Osin Forest, Osin-Ekiti, on November 5 with 216kg of cannabis and cannabis seeds.

Similarly, in Edo State, operatives intercepted a Volkswagen Golf saloon car loaded with 19 bags of cannabis weighing 201kg along the Auchi-Ibillo Road in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area.

The driver, 39-year-old Abdulmumid Isah, and a passenger, 25-year-old Danako Godwin, were arrested.

Three other suspects were apprehended during a raid on a notorious drug joint on Ihama Road, GRA, Benin City.

They were identified as Emmanuel Sunday, 25; Samuel Bala, 31; and Loveth Momodu, 20. Different quantities of Colorado, Loud and cannabis were recovered during the operation.

In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives arrested three suspects with 283 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 226.255kg within two days at a checkpoint in Lankaviri, Yorro Local Government Area.

The suspects included Ibrahim Abdullahi, 45, who was arrested on November 5 with 156 blocks weighing 149.275kg, and Kabiru Usman, 25, apprehended the same day with 80 blocks weighing 40.07kg.

Another suspect, 32-year-old Babangida Babayo, was arrested on November 6 with 47 blocks weighing 36.91kg.

In Enugu State, officers arrested a 57-year-old man, Celestine Uzochukwu Ejiakor, at a checkpoint in Eke Obinagu on November 3.

He was allegedly found with 44 blocks of cannabis weighing 22.5kg.

At another checkpoint in Ugwuoba, operatives intercepted 24,000 capsules of Tramadol weighing 13.4kg and 697 grammes of ketamine, leading to the arrest of 40-year-old Godwin Shaapera.

In Delta State, a 30-year-old suspect, Edugua Othuke, was arrested at Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area, on October 31.

The NDLEA said 10.54kg of skunk, 9.4kg of cannabis seeds and 4.3 grammes of methamphetamine were recovered from him.

Another suspect, 34-year-old Akpofure Tobore, was arrested at Upper Agbarho, Ughelli, on November 4, with quantities of skunk, tramadol, Rohypnol and laughing gas.

NDLEA intensifies anti-drug campaign

Beyond the arrests and seizures, the agency said its commands and formations across the country sustained public sensitisation activities under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.

The enlightenment programmes were conducted in schools, religious institutions, workplaces and communities.

Beneficiaries included students and staff of St Andrew Basic School, Oyo; Government Technical College, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State; Sa’ad College, Kano; and Inland Girls Secondary School, Onitsha, Anambra State.

The NDLEA Zone 1 Command also paid an advocacy visit to the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Sulaiman Adamu, at his palace in Bauchi.

Commending officers and personnel involved in the operations, the agency’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised the commands in Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Edo, Delta, Taraba and Enugu for their efforts.

Marwa described the arrest of the Ugandan woman as a disturbing indication of how drug trafficking organisations exploit religious activities and spiritual journeys to recruit unsuspecting couriers.

He warned that drug cartels were prepared to exploit virtually any opportunity to advance their activities, including using religious travel as a cover for illicit transactions.

The NDLEA chief urged officers across the country to sustain the momentum in their efforts to curb drug trafficking and reduce drug demand through enforcement operations and public education.