The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 34-year-old Ugandan woman, Farida Nansubuga, with 87 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.15kg at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
According to a statement Naija News obtained from the NDLEA earlier today, November 8, Nansubuga was arrested on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, while attempting to board a flight to Uganda at Terminal 2.
The NDLEA said its operatives intercepted her during a joint passenger screening exercise with aviation security personnel. A subsequent body search raised suspicion that she was concealing illegal substances, prompting officers to move her to a private room for further examination.
The search uncovered 87 wraps of cocaine strapped around her pelvic region beneath two layers of underwear.
During interrogation, the suspect reportedly said she arrived in Nigeria on October 29 with members of her church for a prayer session at The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos.
She claimed she remained in Nigeria after the other members of the delegation returned to Uganda to collect the drugs on behalf of a friend identified as Joy, who lives in Uganda.
According to her account, Joy connected her with a contact in Nigeria who arranged her transportation to a hotel on the morning of her departure. A man at the hotel allegedly handed her the cocaine and instructed her to conceal it beneath her clothes.
The suspect reportedly expected to receive at least $1,000 for delivering the consignment, although no definite payment had been agreed.
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 shipment from India falsely declared as paracetamol.
The consignment arrived aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Ahmedabad on November 3. A joint examination conducted with the Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies on November 6 revealed that 10 of the 11 cartons contained Tapentadol, while the remaining carton contained paracetamol allegedly used to conceal the drugs.
The agency also intercepted 32 parcels of Loud, a cannabis strain weighing 16.15kg, concealed inside two wooden sofas in a shipment from Houston, United States.
The consignment arrived aboard a Turkish Airlines flight on November 4. A freight agent, Ibrahim Abdulwaheed Adewale, was arrested after presenting himself to clear the shipment.
A follow-up operation on November 6 led to the arrest of a 34-year-old Ibadan caterer, Adeoye Sarafa Ojo, who arrived to collect the package. He reportedly identified a friend, Taiwo Anuoluwapo Olusegun, as the sender.
In another operation, NDLEA operatives arrested two suspects over the importation of chemicals allegedly used in producing Colorado, a synthetic cannabis. Officers recovered 1.2kg of cannabis and 28.65kg of chemicals concealed in cartons of snacks and detergent.
Other interceptions included 46 blocks of cannabis weighing 22.2kg and destined for the United Kingdom, as well as 296 tablets of Swinol heading to Australia.
The agency also intercepted three shipments of tramadol destined for the UK. They comprised 20 capsules from Benin City, 96 capsules from Sapele, Delta State, and 600 tablets of Tramadol 225mg from Asaba, concealed inside female headwear.
Beyond airport and courier operations, NDLEA operatives arrested several suspects and recovered large quantities of illicit drugs during raids across Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Edo, Taraba, Enugu and Delta states.
In Lagos, officers arrested 32-year-old Abubakar Ali at Marine Beach, Apapa, on November 6. They recovered tramadol, pregabalin, diazepam, codeine and 6.07kg of cannabis from a concealed store inside his apartment.
In Ondo State, operatives recovered 1,818kg of cannabis from 148 bags during a raid on Odofin Road, Uso. They also destroyed a one-hectare cannabis farm in Board Forest, recovered another 242kg of the drug and arrested 36-year-old Itoro Linus Akpan.
In neighbouring Ekiti State, officers arrested 53-year-old Agbo Paul Peter at Osin Forest, Osin-Ekiti, with 216kg of cannabis and cannabis seeds.
In Edo State, operatives intercepted a car carrying 19 bags of cannabis weighing 201kg along the Auchi-Ibillo Road. They arrested the driver, Abdulmumid Isah, 39, and a passenger, Danako Godwin, 25.
The agency also raided a drug joint on Ihama Road, GRA, Benin City, arresting three suspects and recovering quantities of Colorado, Loud and cannabis.
In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives arrested three suspects with 283 blocks of cannabis weighing 226.255kg at a checkpoint in Lankaviri, Yorro Local Government Area, between November 5 and 6.
In Enugu State, officers arrested 57-year-old Celestine Uzochukwu Ejiakor with 44 blocks of cannabis weighing 22.5kg at the Eke Obinagu checkpoint.
Another suspect, 40-year-old Godwin Shaapera, was arrested at the Ugwuoba checkpoint with 24,000 capsules of tramadol and 697g of ketamine.
The agency also recorded arrests and drug seizures in Delta State, where operatives recovered cannabis, cannabis seeds, methamphetamine, tramadol, rohypnol and nitrous oxide from different suspects.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaign in schools, worship centres and communities across the country.
Reacting to the operations, the agency’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers in the affected commands for their efforts.
Marwa described the arrest of the Ugandan woman as a reminder that drug cartels could exploit religious activities and international travel to recruit couriers for their illegal operations.
He urged officers across the country to sustain their efforts to combat drug trafficking and reduce substance abuse.
