NDLEA arrest woman with drugs concealed in fake pregnancy -

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has thwarted two unusual drug trafficking attempts involving concealed cocaine and opioids at key border points in Kano and Lagos.

In a statement issued by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, operatives intercepted a 35-year-old businesswoman, Rabi, at the Seme border departure point on February 16, 2026. She was attempting to cross into Cotonou, Benin Republic, with what appeared to be a pregnancy. A search revealed the protruding belly was fake—crafted from a pink calabash strapped to her abdomen and used to hide 3,200 capsules of tramadol intended for sale abroad.

On the same day at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, NDLEA officers arrested a 41-year-old Ivorian national, Michael, during passenger clearance for Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET940 to Milan via Addis Ababa. A body scan confirmed he had ingested illicit drugs. Under observation, he excreted 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49 kilograms.

Investigations revealed that Michael had arrived in Lagos from Milan on January 17 and spent weeks moving between Lagos and Enugu before traveling to Kano, where he ingested the cocaine in a hotel room. He was allegedly promised €5,000 upon successful delivery of the drugs in Milan. The suspect, who resides in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, reportedly obtained asylum in Italy in 2013 and holds a residence permit valid until May 25, 2026.

In separate operations across the country, NDLEA operatives recorded additional seizures and arrests. In Lagos, suspects were apprehended with 56kg and 76kg of skunk in Agbara and Oshodi, respectively. At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State, officers uncovered 170,900 bottles of codeine-based syrup in a container flagged for full inspection following intelligence reports.

Along the Okene/Lokoja highway in Kogi State, operatives recovered 7,300 pills of tramadol concealed in two sound systems aboard a commuter bus traveling from Lagos to Kano. A follow-up operation in Abuja led to the arrest of two suspects linked to the shipment.

In Ondo State, two suspects were arrested in Iju forest with a combined 393kg of skunk. In Bauchi State, 936kg of skunk was seized from a suspect in Azare town, while another 85.8kg was recovered from four individuals in the same area.

Further seizures were made in Delta and Edo states. In Delta, 37kg of skunk was recovered from a suspect in Ughelli. In Edo, NDLEA operatives destroyed 1,266.8kg of skunk across three farms in Owan West Local Government Area and arrested two suspects, including a 68-year-old grandmother.

The agency also sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns nationwide, reaching schools and communities in Oyo, Yobe, Imo, Gombe, Cross River, Kano, and Lagos states.

Commending officers across various commands for their efforts, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the agency’s continued success in balancing drug supply reduction with demand reduction initiatives.