The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a major drug trafficking attempt and dismantled several narcotics operations across the country. A 43-year-old make-up artist, identified as Mary Adebukonla Adekoya, was arrested at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. Adekoya was allegedly attempting to smuggle 2.2kg of cocaine to India, claiming she was travelling for fibroid surgery. NDLEA officers, acting on intelligence, discovered the drugs expertly concealed within the walls of her luggage. She was taken into custody at the boarding gate while preparing to board a Qatar Airways flight via Doha. Adekoya admitted she was lured into the deal for financial reasons and named a suspected drug kingpin, Akeem Ayinde Adekanbi, as the mastermind. Adekanbi is currently on the run.
In related operations, NDLEA agents intercepted parcels of illicit drugs at courier facilities in Lagos. These included 1.3kg of Loud cannabis hidden in female clothing en route to Bahrain, and 850g of cocaine disguised in clothes hangers destined for Australia.
Elsewhere, operatives arrested suspects in Bauchi, Kaduna, Abuja, Kano, Kwara, and Edo States. Seizures included over a million opioid pills, 14.2kg of skunk concealed in charcoal, methamphetamine, tramadol capsules, and pentazocine ampoules. Notable arrests include two men on Bauchi-Darazo road, a student dealer in Ilorin, and multiple suspects in Abuja’s Karu and Torabora districts. In Edo, raids led to the destruction of over 4,200kg of skunk in Uzebba forest and arrests at local shops and camps.
The NDLEA reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying efforts against drug trafficking and abuse across Nigeria.
