Woman Heading to India for Fibroid Surgery Arrested with 2.2kg Cocaine Concealed in Luggage Walls
…Agency intercepts drug consignments to Bahrain and Australia, seizes over one million pills of opioids in Bauchi, dismantles drug stores in Edo, arrests student dealer in Ilorin
A 43-year-old woman who claimed to be travelling to India for fibroid surgery has been arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, after she was found in possession of 2.2 kilograms of cocaine neatly concealed in the walls of her suitcase.
According to Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA, the suspect, Adekoya Adebukonla Mary, a self-described make-up artist, was intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday, 16th June 2025.
Acting on credible intelligence, officials placed her under surveillance and allowed her to check in her luggage before apprehending her at the boarding gate for a Qatar Airways flight to India via Doha.
Upon inspection of her suitcase, two large parcels of cocaine weighing 2.20kg were discovered factory-fitted into its sidewalls.
In her statement to investigators, Adekoya confessed to embarking on the trip not for medical reasons but for financial gain. Further investigations revealed she had been recruited and sponsored by a drug baron, Akeem Ayinde Adekanbi, the owner of Rockford Hotel in Sango, Ogun State.
The trafficker, currently on the run, reportedly resides in the Igbe Laara area of Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos State.
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives attached to the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted a shipment of female dresses containing 1.3kg of “Loud” — a potent strain of cannabis — at a Lagos-based courier company on Thursday, 19th June. The package was en route to Bahrain.
A day earlier, on Wednesday, 18th June, the Agency uncovered another consignment of 850 grams of cocaine ingeniously concealed within a set of cloth hangers bound for Australia.
Meanwhile, NDLEA officers in Bauchi arrested two suspects, Ibrahim Galadima (37) and Ibrahim Muhammed (28), along the Bauchi-Darazo road on Monday, 16th June. Recovered from the duo were a staggering 1,013,000 pills of opioids including tramadol, diazepam, and exol-5.
In Kaduna, 38-year-old Bishir Isyaku was arrested with 14.2kg of cannabis (skunk) hidden in sacks of charcoal and cartons of rubber solution weighing 198kg.
On Tuesday, 17th June, NDLEA operatives in Abuja carried out coordinated raids in Karu Abattoir and Torabora areas, arresting six suspects — including Murtala Adamu and Ahmed Isma’il — and seizing 6.9kg of skunk and 59 grams of methamphetamine.
Kano Command officers, patrolling the Zaria-Kano road on Thursday, 19th June, apprehended Umar Hamisu (19) and Dahiru Abdullahi (32) with 56.2kg of skunk. Another suspect, Obiwuru Henry (27), was found with 23,720 capsules of tramadol and 1,400 ampoules of pentazocine.
On Saturday, 21st June, two additional suspects — Abubakar Modu (60) and Abdulkadir Muhammed (28) — were arrested with 36.6kg and 32kg of skunk respectively.
In Kwara State, a 22-year-old female student of Kwara State Polytechnic, Olotin Nifemi, notorious for supplying drugs to fellow students, was arrested on Thursday, 19th June, at her residence along Kwara Poly Road, Ilorin. She was caught with 1kg of skunk.
A large quantity of cannabis weighing 4,226.11kg was destroyed in a raid on Ugbada Camp in Uzebba forest, Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State on Friday, 20th June.
A suspect, Albert Shamaki (33), was apprehended during the operation. The day before, operatives stormed the Big Jamaya supermarket in Emado community, Esan West LGA, arresting 28-year-old Esther Abumere and confiscating various illicit drugs including Colorado, Loud, Molly, Tramadol, and other opioids.
Another raid at a provision shop in Idumeka, Igueben, led to the arrest of 38-year-old Eko Gift and the recovery of 1.143kg of skunk.
In addition to its enforcement efforts, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns across Nigeria.
Awareness lectures were held for students and staff at Government Day Arabic Secondary School, Guri (Jigawa); Government College, Lafia (Nasarawa); Atodo Secondary School, Ankpa (Kogi); Natsugunne Junior Secondary School, Jabba (Kano); and Shallom Academy, Ibagwa (Enugu).
The Osun State Command also paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, at his palace in Ile Ife.
Commending the series of successful operations across Lagos, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Kwara, Edo, and the Federal Capital Territory, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), lauded the dedication of officers and men involved.
He emphasised the need for a balanced approach to drug supply reduction and demand control, underscoring the Agency’s unwavering resolve to rid the country of illicit drugs and their enablers.
