NDLEA Nabs Woman Claiming to Travel for Surgery with 2.2kg Cocaine at Lagos Airport

NDLEA Nabs Woman Claiming to Travel for Surgery with 2.2kg Cocaine at Lagos Airport

Intercepts Bahrain, Australia-bound drug consignments, seizes over 1 million opioids in nationwide raids

LAGOS, Nigeria – Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 43-year-old make-up artist, Adekoya Adebukonla Mary, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, for attempting to smuggle 2.2 kilograms of cocaine to India.

Adekoya, who claimed she was travelling to India for fibroid surgery, was intercepted on Monday, June 16, 2025, while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight via Doha. The agency disclosed that her arrest followed credible intelligence and surveillance. A search of her luggage revealed two large parcels of cocaine neatly factory-concealed in the walls of her suitcase.

During interrogation, she confessed that she undertook the trip under the guise of a medical journey but was actually promised financial reward. Investigators linked her recruitment and sponsorship to a suspected drug baron, Akeem Ayinde Adekanbi, said to be on the run. Adekanbi is reportedly the owner of Rockford Hotel in Sango, Ogun State, and resides in the Igbogbo area of Ikorodu, Lagos.

International Courier Interceptions

In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives at two courier firms in Lagos intercepted drug consignments hidden in creative disguises. On Wednesday, June 18, 850 grams of cocaine concealed inside cloth hangers were intercepted en route to Australia. A day later, on Thursday, June 19, another parcel containing 1.3 kilograms of loud (a potent strain of cannabis) sewn into female dresses and destined for Bahrain was also uncovered.

Major Drug Seizures Across States

In Bauchi State, NDLEA officers arrested two men—37-year-old Ibrahim Galadima and 28-year-old Ibrahim Muhammed—along Bauchi-Darazo Road on Monday, June 16. They were found with over one million pills of opioids including tramadol, diazepam, and exol-5.

In Kaduna State, Bishir Isyaku, 38, was arrested along the Kaduna-Zaria expressway with 14.2kg of cannabis sativa (skunk) hidden in sacks of charcoal. Also seized from him were seven cartons of rubber solution weighing 198kg.

In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, six suspects including Murtala Adamu and Ahmed Ismai’l were arrested during raids in Karu Abattoir and Torabora areas. Recovered from them were 6.9kg of skunk and 59 grams of methamphetamine.

Arrests in Kano, Kwara, Edo

In Kano, Umar Hamisu, 19, and Dahiru Abdullahi, 32, were arrested on June 19 with 56.2kg of skunk along the Zaria-Kano road. Another suspect, Obiwuru Henry, 27, was found with 23,720 capsules of tramadol and 1,400 ampoules of pentazocine along Jaba Road, Fagge LGA. Two others—Abubakar Modu, 60, and Abdulkadir Muhammed, 28—were also nabbed with 36.6kg and 32kg of skunk respectively on Saturday, June 21.

In Ilorin, Kwara State, a 22-year-old student of Kwara State Polytechnic, Olotin Nifemi, was arrested on June 19 with 1kg of skunk. She was reportedly notorious for supplying drugs to fellow students.

NDLEA operatives in Edo State also recorded significant success during a raid at Ugbada camp in Uzebba forest, Owan West LGA, where they destroyed 4,226.11kg of skunk and arrested a suspect, Albert Shamaki, 33. Further raids in Esan West and Igueben LGAs led to the arrests of Esther Abumere, 28, and Eko Gift, 38, with various quantities of cannabis, Colorado, loud, molly, and opioids.

Drug Education and Advocacy

Meanwhile, the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign continued with sensitisation activities held in schools across Jigawa, Nasarawa, Kogi, Kano, and Enugu states. The Osun State Command also paid an advocacy visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, in Ile-Ife.

NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers across various state commands for their dedication to disrupting both drug supply and demand. He urged them to maintain the momentum in the agency’s dual approach to tackling drug abuse and trafficking.

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Femi Babafemi
Director, Media & Advocacy
NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja
Sunday, June 22, 2025