The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 34-year-old South African woman, Qhina Beauty, with 36.65 kilogrammes of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
Beauty was arrested on October 7, 2026, at the airport’s departure hall while preparing to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa via Doha.
According to the agency, a search of her two travel bags led to the discovery of 30 blocks of cocaine concealed in seven separate parcels. The drugs were reportedly wrapped in cellophane tape and mixed with dried pepper in an apparent attempt to evade detection.
During questioning, Beauty allegedly told investigators that she arrived in Nigeria on September 30 specifically to collect the consignment. She claimed she was recruited by another South African woman who promised to pay her R20,000 upon successful delivery.
Further investigations led to the arrest of a 46-year-old Lagos-based car dealer, Uchenna Victor Umunnakwe, on October 14 at Apple Junction, Ago Palace Way, Lagos. The suspect allegedly admitted receiving Beauty at the airport and arranging accommodation for her at two hotels ahead of her departure.
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives arrested a 62-year-old Nigerian-American woman, Anetor Gloria Ubong, over the alleged importation of 9.45kg of a synthetic cannabis substance known as “loud.”
Ubong, reportedly a Texas-based realtor who holds Nigerian and American passports, was arrested on October 21 following her arrival at the Lagos airport aboard a United Airlines flight from Houston.
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A search of her two checked-in boxes allegedly uncovered 18 parcels of the substance concealed in gift-wrapping paper. She reportedly claimed that her daughter and her daughter’s future brother-in-law had delivered the box to her home in the United States for onward delivery to her daughter’s fiancé in Nigeria.
The NDLEA also reported several drug-related arrests and seizures across the country.
In Lagos, operatives arrested 41-year-old Eletu Rasheedat in the Eti Osa area on October 23, recovering 5,820 diazepam pills, 780 tramadol tablets, 3.7kg of cannabis and 230.25 litres of skuchies, a locally produced alcoholic mixture associated with drug abuse.
In Warri, Delta State, a 51-year-old suspect, Peter Ugochukwu, was arrested with a large collection of pharmaceutical opioids and other substances, including tramadol capsules and tablets, codeine syrup, Rohypnol, diazepam and injectable drugs.
Another suspect, 46-year-old Helen Bakporo Samson, was arrested at Enhere Junction in Warri with 6kg of cannabis, popularly known as skunk.
In Ibadan, Oyo State, NDLEA operatives also arrested 41-year-old Fajana Dada Oluwaseyi on October 19. The agency said the arrest followed his alleged escape during an earlier operation in which 197.8kg of cannabis was seized from his residence on September 16.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the agency’s operatives and urged them to sustain efforts to combat drug trafficking and substance abuse across the country.
The arrests form part of the agency’s ongoing nationwide operations against the trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs.
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