…Officers of NDLEA uncovered 3,200 capsules of tramadol concealed inside a fabricated bump strapped to her abdomen.
KANO, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have thwarted attempts by suspected traffickers to smuggle cocaine and opioids through the Seme border in Lagos and the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano. The operations led to the arrest of a woman who hid drugs under a fake pregnancy and a real estate executive alleged to be the head of a drug distribution network.
At the Seme border on 16 February 2026, NDLEA officers apprehended 35-year-old Rabi Muhammad, a Kano-based trader, as she tried to enter Cotonou in the Benin Republic. Though she appeared heavily pregnant, a detailed search revealed the pregnancy was staged. Officers of NDLEA uncovered 3,200 capsules of tramadol concealed inside a fabricated bump strapped to her abdomen.
On the same day at MAKIA, operatives arrested a 41-year-old Ivorian national, Michael Gohouri, also known as Anunwa Onyinye Michael, during the clearance process for Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 bound for Milan via Addis Ababa. A body scan confirmed he had swallowed illicit substances. While under observation, he excreted 82 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.49kg. He was reportedly promised €5,000 upon successful delivery in Milan. Investigations indicated that he had travelled between Lagos, Enugu and Kano before ingesting the drugs in a Kano hotel room.
In a separate operation, NDLEA officers arrested Kolapo Oladapo Raji, 57, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Trans Fortress Global Resources, at his Ikate, Lekki residence in Lagos on 12 February after prolonged surveillance. The suspect had allegedly been on the agency’s watchlist since 2025. A search of his residence resulted in the seizure of four large bags containing 89.2kg of “Canadian Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, as well as a 2024 Toyota Hilux vehicle. He reportedly confessed to bankrolling drug shipments before setting up his own distribution network.
Further operations across Lagos, Rivers, Kogi, Ondo, Bauchi, Delta and Edo states led to additional seizures of skunk and tramadol. At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, a joint container examination uncovered 170,900 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Mohamed Buba Marwa, praised the officers for the successful operations and reiterated the agency’s resolve to strengthen drug supply and demand reduction efforts nationwide, alongside its War Against Drug Abuse awareness campaign in schools and communities.
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