Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have thwarted attempts by suspected traffickers to smuggle cocaine and opioids through the Seme border in Lagos and the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), arresting a woman who concealed drugs in a fake pregnancy and a real estate executive accused of leading a drug distribution network.
At the Seme land border on February 16, 2026, NDLEA officers intercepted 35-year-old Rabi Muhammad, a Kano-based businesswoman, as she attempted to cross into Cotonou, Benin Republic. Although she appeared heavily pregnant, a detailed search revealed the pregnancy was fake. Officers discovered 3,200 capsules of tramadol hidden inside a specially designed artificial bump strapped to her stomach.
On the same day at MAKIA, operatives arrested a 41-year-old Ivorian national, Michael Gohouri, also known as Anunwa Onyinye Michael, during clearance for an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 to Milan via Addis Ababa. A body scan confirmed he had ingested illicit substances. While under observation, he excreted 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49 kilograms. He was reportedly promised €5,000 upon successful delivery of the drugs in Milan. Investigations further revealed he had travelled between Lagos, Enugu, and Kano before ingesting the drugs in a hotel room in Kano.
In a related operation, NDLEA operatives arrested the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Trans Fortress Global Resources, Kolapo Oladapo Raji, 57, at his residence in Ikate, Lekki, Lagos, on February 12 following weeks of surveillance. The suspect had reportedly been on the agency’s watchlist since 2025. A search of his home led to the recovery of four large bags containing 89.2 kilograms of “Canadian Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, as well as a 2024 Toyota Hilux vehicle. He allegedly admitted to previously financing drug consignments before establishing his own distribution network.
Across Lagos, Rivers, Kogi, Ondo, Bauchi, Delta, and Edo states, additional operations resulted in the seizure of large quantities of skunk and tramadol. NDLEA officers also uncovered 170,900 bottles of codeine-based syrup during a joint examination of a container at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne.
Chairman and Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers for the arrests and seizures. He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to intensifying efforts to reduce both the supply and demand for illicit drugs nationwide, alongside its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaign targeting schools and communities.
