NDLEA Arrests Ugandan Woman With 1.15kg Cocaine at Lagos Airport, Uncovers Major Drug Shipments

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 34-year-old Ugandan woman allegedly attempting to smuggle 87 wraps of cocaine, weighing 1.15kg, out of Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

The suspect, identified as Farida Nansubuga, was arrested on November 3, 2026, at the screening point of Terminal 2 while preparing to board a flight to Uganda.

According to the agency, the arrest followed a joint passenger screening exercise involving NDLEA operatives and aviation security personnel, during which officers became suspicious of something concealed around her pelvic region.

A subsequent private search reportedly uncovered 87 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.15kg, strapped around her waist and concealed beneath two layers of underwear.

During interrogation, Nansubuga allegedly told investigators that she arrived in Nigeria on October 29 with members of her church for a prayer programme at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) in Ikotun, Lagos.

She reportedly said that while the other members of her delegation returned to Uganda after the programme, she remained in Nigeria to collect the drugs for a friend identified only as Joy, who lives in Uganda.

According to her account, the friend connected her with a contact in Nigeria who arranged transportation to a hotel, where a man allegedly handed her the cocaine and instructed her to conceal it beneath her clothing.

Although no definite payment was agreed, she reportedly expected to receive at least $1,000 after delivering the consignment.

NDLEA intercepts N900m opioid shipment

The arrest was among several drug seizures and operations across the country announced by the NDLEA.

At the airport’s import shed, operatives intercepted 750,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg, weighing 526kg and valued at approximately N900 million.

The consignment, which arrived from Ahmedabad, India, aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight on November 3, had been declared as Paracetamol 500mg tablets.

A joint examination involving NDLEA operatives, Nigeria Customs Service officers and other security agencies reportedly revealed that 10 of the 11 cartons contained the opioid tablets, while the remaining carton held paracetamol.

In another operation on November 4, officers intercepted 32 parcels of Loud, weighing 16.15kg, concealed inside two wooden sofas in a consolidated cargo shipment from Houston, Texas, United States.

A freight agent, Ibrahim Abdulwaheed Adewale, was arrested after presenting himself to clear the consignment. A follow-up operation on November 6 also led to the arrest of an Ibadan-based caterer, Adeoye Sarafa Ojo, who allegedly came to collect the package.

Ojo reportedly told investigators that he was acting on the instructions of a friend, Taiwo Anuoluwapo Olusegun.

NDLEA uncovers synthetic cannabis chemicals

The agency also reported uncovering an alleged syndicate involved in importing chemicals used in the production of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis.

The operation followed the interception of nine parcels concealed in two cartons of snacks labelled “Michael Tea Guy”, which arrived from the United Kingdom aboard an Air Peace flight on October 23.

Forensic analysis reportedly showed that two parcels contained 1.2kg of cannabis, while the remaining seven contained chemicals suspected to be used in producing synthetic cannabis.

A 51-year-old freight agent, Afolabi Abiodun Wale, was arrested when he attempted to clear the consignment.

Two additional cartons addressed to the same recipient subsequently arrived from the UK 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, as he attempted to collect the packages.

The cartons reportedly contained 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.

More seizures across Lagos and other states

At courier companies in Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted 46 blocks of cannabis weighing 22.2kg on November 3. The consignment was packed in two cartons destined for the United Kingdom.

Earlier, on October 30, officers intercepted 296 tablets of Swinol being shipped from Lagos to Australia.

The agency also reported intercepting three separate shipments of tramadol destined for the UK. The consignments included 20 capsules from Benin City, 96 capsules from Sapele in Delta State and 600 tablets of Tramadol 225mg from Asaba, concealed in vitamin C containers and female headwear.

In another Lagos operation on November 6, operatives arrested a 32-year-old suspect, Abubakar Ali, at Marine Beach, Apapa, where they discovered a stockpile of drugs concealed in a small store inside his apartment.

The recovered substances included different quantities of Tramadol 250mg and 225mg, pregabalin, diazepam, codeine and cannabis.

Across the South-West, officers recorded major seizures in Ondo and Ekiti states.

In Ondo State, a raid on Odofin Road, Uso, on November 6 led to the recovery of 148 bags of cannabis weighing 1,818kg.

A separate operation at Board Forest resulted in the destruction of a one-hectare cannabis plantation, the recovery of 242kg of the drug and the arrest of a 36-year-old suspect, Itoro Linus Akpan.

In 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, officers intercepted a Volkswagen Golf loaded with 19 bags of cannabis weighing 201kg along the Auchi-Ibillo Road in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area. The driver, Abdulmumid Isah, 39, and a passenger, Danako Godwin, 25, were arrested.

Three other suspects were arrested during a raid on a suspected drug joint along Ihama Road in GRA, Benin City, where quantities of Colorado, Loud and cannabis were recovered.

In Taraba State, three suspects were arrested within two days at an NDLEA checkpoint in Lankaviri, Yorro Local Government Area, with 283 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 226.255kg.

The arrests involved Ibrahim Abdullahi, 45; Kabiru Usman, 25; and Babangida Babayo, 32.

In Enugu State, a 57-year-old man, Celestine Uzochukwu Ejiakor, was arrested at a checkpoint in Eke Obinagu with 44 blocks of cannabis weighing 22.5kg.

Another suspect, Godwin Shaapera, 40, was arrested at Ugwuoba checkpoint with 24,000 capsules of tramadol weighing 13.4kg and 697g of ketamine.

Delta State operations also led to the arrests of Edugua Othuke, 30, in Ozoro, and Akpofure Tobore, 34, in Upper Agbarho, Ughelli, over alleged possession of various illicit substances, including cannabis, tramadol, rohypnol, methamphetamine and nitrous oxide.

The latest operations represent a series of interceptions targeting drug trafficking networks, illicit pharmaceutical shipments and cannabis cultivation across several parts of Nigeria.