The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 34-year-old Ugandan woman, Farida Nansubuga, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 1.15kg of cocaine concealed around her pelvic region into Uganda.
The suspect was arrested on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at the screening point of Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, while preparing to board a flight to her home country.
According to the NDLEA, Nansubuga arrived in Nigeria on October 29 with members of her church for a prayer session at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Ikotun, Lagos.
However, while other members of her delegation returned to Uganda, she allegedly stayed behind to collect the cocaine on behalf of an acquaintance identified as Joy, who resides in Uganda.
The agency said a body search revealed suspicious substances concealed around her pelvic region. A subsequent search in a designated private room led to the recovery of 87 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.15kg, strapped around her body beneath two layers of underwear.
During preliminary interrogation, the suspect reportedly said a contact in Nigeria arranged transportation to a hotel, where an unidentified man handed her the drugs and instructed her to conceal them beneath her clothing.
She allegedly expected to receive at least $1,000 upon successfully delivering the consignment.
In a separate operation at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives intercepted 750,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg, weighing 526kg and valued at N900m, in a consignment imported from India and falsely declared as Paracetamol tablets.
The shipment, which arrived aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Ahmedabad on November 3, comprised 11 cartons packed in two wooden structures.
Following a joint examination with officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies on November 6, the opioid tablets were discovered in 10 cartons, while the remaining carton contained paracetamol tablets allegedly used as cover.
Also at the airport, operatives on November 4 intercepted 32 parcels of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis weighing 16.15kg, concealed inside two wooden sofas in a consolidated cargo from Houston, United States.
A freight agent, Ibrahim Abdulwaheed Adewale, who presented himself to clear the consignment, was arrested. 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 came to collect the package.
Ojo reportedly claimed he was sent by a friend, Taiwo Anuoluwapo Olusegun.
Similarly, the agency dismantled a syndicate allegedly involved in importing chemicals used in producing Colorado, a synthetic cannabis, from the United Kingdom.
NDLEA operatives intercepted nine parcels of illicit substances 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 1.2kg of cannabis, while forensic analysis confirmed that the remaining seven contained chemicals used in producing synthetic cannabis.
A 51-year-old freight agent, Afolabi Abiodun Wale, was arrested while attempting to clear the consignment.
Two additional cartons addressed to the same recipient later arrived aboard an Allied Air flight. A sting operation conducted between October 26 and 28 led to the arrest of another 51-year-old suspect, Okwuite Benjamin Ojone, when he attempted to take delivery of the packages.
A search of the cartons uncovered three parcels weighing 3.3kg concealed in detergent packs and 11 plastic bottles containing mainly liquid substances weighing 16.25kg.
The total seizure from the operation amounted to 1.2kg of cannabis and 28.65kg of chemicals suspected to be used in producing synthetic cannabis.
At courier companies in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on November 3 intercepted 46 blocks of cannabis weighing 22.2kg in two cartons destined for the United Kingdom.
The agency also intercepted 296 tablets of Swinol being shipped to Australia on October 30, alongside three separate consignments of tramadol destined for the UK.
The intercepted shipments 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 female headwear.
In another operation in Lagos, operatives on November 6 arrested a 32-year-old man, Abubakar Ali, at Marine Beach, Apapa, where drugs were recovered from a small storage space he allegedly constructed inside his apartment.
Items recovered included 1.06kg of Tramadol 250mg, 1.27kg of Tramadol 225mg, 400g of pregabalin capsules, 355g of diazepam, 200ml of codeine and 6.07kg of cannabis.
Across other states, NDLEA operatives recorded additional seizures and arrests.
In Ondo State, officers raided Odofin Road, Uso, on November 6, recovering 148 bags of cannabis weighing 1,818kg. On the same day, they raided a cannabis farm in Board Forest, where they destroyed a one-hectare plantation, recovered 242kg of cannabis 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.
In Edo State, operatives intercepted a Volkswagen Golf loaded with 19 bags of cannabis weighing 201kg along the Auchi-Ibillo Road in Akoko Edo Local Government Area on November 6.
The driver, Abdulmumid Isah, 39, and a passenger, Danako Godwin, 25, were arrested.
In a related operation, officers raided a suspected drug joint on Ihama Road, GRA, Benin City, arresting three persons identified as Emmanuel Sunday, 25; Samuel Bala, 31; and Loveth Momodu, 20. Quantities of Colorado, Loud and cannabis were recovered.
In Taraba State, three suspects were arrested with 283 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 226.255kg during stop-and-search operations at the NDLEA checkpoint in Lankaviri, Yorro Local Government Area, within two days.
On November 5, Ibrahim Abdullahi, 45, was arrested with 156 blocks weighing 149.275kg, while Kabiru Usman, 25, was apprehended with 80 blocks weighing 40.07kg.
The following day, Babangida Babayo, 32, was arrested with 47 blocks weighing 36.91kg.
In Enugu State, a 57-year-old man, Celestine Uzochukwu Ejiakor, was arrested at a checkpoint in Eke Obinagu on November 3 with 44 blocks of cannabis weighing 22.5kg.
At the Ugwuoba checkpoint, another suspect, Godwin Shaapera, 40, was arrested with 24,000 capsules of tramadol weighing 13.4kg and 697g of ketamine.
In Delta State, operatives arrested Edugua Othuke, 30, at Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area, on October 31, recovering 10.54kg of skunk, 9.4kg of cannabis seeds and 4.3g of methamphetamine.
Another suspect, Akpofure Tobore, 34, was arrested on November 4 at Upper Agbarho, Ughelli, with quantities of skunk, tramadol, Rohypnol and laughing gas.
Meanwhile, the agency continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign across schools, religious centres, workplaces and communities.
Recent activities included enlightenment lectures at St. Andrew Basic School, Oyo; Government Technical College, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State; Sa’ad College, Kano; and Inland Girls Secondary School, Onitsha, Anambra State.
The Zone 1 Command also paid an advocacy visit to the Emir of Bauchi, HRH Alhaji Rilwanu Sulaiman Adamu, at his palace.
Commending officers across the affected commands for the arrests and seizures, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the Ugandan woman’s case as a reminder that drug cartels exploit even religious activities and travel to recruit couriers.
He urged officers across the country to sustain their efforts in reducing both drug supply and demand.
Femi Babafemi
Director, Media and Advocacy
NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja
Sunday, November 8, 2026
