NDLEA Busts Drug Trafficking Networks, Arrests US-Based Grandmother, South African Woman

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two women, including a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother and a 34-year-old South African national, in separate drug-related operations at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

The agency said Anetor Gloria Ubong was arrested after arriving from the United States with 9.45kg of loud, while Qhina Beauty was apprehended with 36.65kg of cocaine.

The arrests were among several operations that resulted in the recovery of substantial quantities of illicit drugs in Lagos, Kano, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo and Delta states.

NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said Qhina was arrested at the Lagos airport’s departure hall on October 7, 2026, while preparing to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa through Doha.

He disclosed that officers searched her two travel bags and discovered 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg. The drugs were reportedly mixed with dried pepper, wrapped in cello tape and arranged in seven separate parcels.

Babafemi said the suspect told investigators she had arrived in Nigeria on September 30 to collect the drugs. She allegedly disclosed that another South African woman recruited her and promised to pay R20,000 if she successfully delivered the consignment.

The spokesman added that Qhina claimed she had been introduced to two other alleged members of the network, one based in the United States and another a Lagos-based car dealer.

Further investigations led to the arrest of 46-year-old Uchenna Victor Umunnakwe on October 14. He was intercepted at Apple Junction, Ago Palace Way, Lagos, after officers conducted surveillance at his Shasha residence.

According to Babafemi, Umunnakwe admitted receiving Qhina at the airport, arranging accommodation for her at Santiago Hotel in Amuwo-Odofin and subsequently moving her to Cynarisso Hotel near the airport before her scheduled departure.

In another operation, NDLEA officers arrested Ubong on Wednesday, October 21, following her arrival from Houston aboard a United Airlines flight.

The agency identified her as a realtor based in Richmond, Texas, who possesses Nigerian and American passports.

A search of her two checked-in boxes reportedly revealed 18 parcels of loud weighing 9.45kg. The substance was concealed in a box using gift-wrapping paper.

Babafemi said Ubong claimed that her daughter and the daughter’s future brother-in-law had delivered the box to her residence in the United States, asking her to bring it to Nigeria for delivery to her daughter’s fiancé, Jibola.

Drug raids across states yield large seizures

Beyond the airport arrests, NDLEA operatives reported multiple drug seizures and arrests across several states.

In Lagos, officers from the agency’s special operations unit arrested 41-year-old Eletu Rasheedat in Eti-Osa on October 23. The operation yielded 5,820 diazepam pills, 780 tramadol tablets, 3.7kg of skunk and 230.25 litres of skuchies.

In Warri, Delta State, operatives arrested 51-year-old Peter Ugochukwu and recovered a large consignment of pharmaceutical opioids. The seizure comprised 29,350 tramadol capsules, 6,620 tablets of tramadol 200mg, 4,116 bottles of codeine syrup, 11,340 Rohypnol tablets, 3,500 diazepam tablets, 300 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 200 ampoules of diazepam injection.

Officers also recovered quantities of tramadol 225mg, Molly and Cocodamol. Ugochukwu was transferred from the Nigeria Police Force in Delta State alongside a white Hummer bus.

Another operation at Enhere Junction, Warri, led to the arrest of Helen Bakporo Samson, 46, who was described as physically challenged. She was arrested on October 19 with 6.0kg of skunk.

In Oyo State, 41-year-old Fajana Dada Oluwaseyi was arrested in the Adamasingba area of Ibadan on October 19. The agency said he had earlier escaped arrest after NDLEA officers seized 197.8kg of cannabis sativa from his home on September 16.

In Kano, a raid in the Gerawa area on October 22 resulted in the arrest of 30-year-old Murtala Lawan and the seizure of 159 blocks of cannabis weighing 97.2kg.

In Taraba State, officers arrested 39-year-old Raiyanu Misa at the Lankaviri checkpoint in Yorro Local Government Area on October 23. He was allegedly found with 95 compressed cannabis blocks weighing 60.175kg.

On the same day, the Nigeria Police Force handed over another suspect arrested at Dakka village in Bali Local Government Area with 112 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 81.49kg.

In Niger State, operatives arrested 26-year-old Emmanuel Ekene on October 19 along the Sabo-Kainji road in Borgu Local Government Area. Officers recovered 64,000 opioid pills, including tramadol and diazepam.

In Bauchi State, NDLEA officers arrested Jamilu Mustapha, 45, popularly known as Last Card, at Nasaru Town in Ningi Local Government Area on October 21. Seven large sacks containing 379kg of cannabis sativa were seized during the operation.

An intelligence-led operation in Ondo State on October 20 saw officers raid a farm at Board-Ala in Akure South, where they recovered 56 abandoned bags of cannabis weighing 583kg.

In Edo State, operatives destroyed two cannabis farms in Ugbada Forest, Uzebba, Owan West Local Government Area, on October 18. The farms were estimated to have a combined yield of 2,023.14kg.

The officers also destroyed 450kg of processed cannabis at the site and retained 97kg as exhibits. In a related operation in Ewe community, Owan West, 42-year-old Mary Edokhai was arrested with 35kg of the substance.

NDLEA sustains public drug awareness campaign

The agency said its commands and formations continued sensitisation activities under the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative during the week, with programmes held in schools, religious centres, workplaces and communities.

The schools listed included Oje Grammar School in Ibadan, Oyo State; Government Day Secondary School in Kwamba, Niger State; Baptist Primary School in Olorunda, Ogun State; Government Secondary School in Yalea, Kano State; Community Secondary School in Igogoro, Enugu State; Urban Girls Secondary School in Onitsha, Anambra State; and Kelebe Community Grammar School in Osogbo, Osun State, among others.

NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised officers of the MMIA and the agency’s commands in Kano, Lagos, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo and Delta for their vigilance, professionalism and intelligence-led work.

Marwa urged personnel nationwide to maintain the momentum in tackling drug trafficking and substance abuse.

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