Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered two unusual drug trafficking attempts involving a fake pregnancy and ingested cocaine, leading to multiple arrests across the country.
At the Seme border in Lagos, NDLEA officers intercepted a 35-year-old businesswoman, Rabi Muhammad, who attempted to smuggle 3,200 capsules of tramadol concealed in a fake baby bump. She was arrested on February 16, 2026, while trying to cross into Cotonou, Benin Republic. A search revealed that her protruding stomach was a pink-coloured calabash strapped to her body to hide the opioid capsules.
On the same day at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), a 41-year-old Ivorian national, Michael Gohouri, was apprehended during passenger clearance for an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 to Milan via Addis Ababa. A body scan confirmed he had ingested illicit drugs. He was placed under observation and later excreted 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49 kilograms.
Investigations revealed that Gohouri had arrived in Lagos from Milan on January 17, 2026, and had moved between Lagos, Enugu, and Kano before ingesting the cocaine in a hotel room in Kano. He was reportedly promised €5,000 upon successful delivery of the drugs in Milan.
Authorities also disclosed that he holds an Italian residence permit valid until May 25, 2026, and possesses a Nigerian National Identification Number.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives arrested the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Trans Fortress Global Resources, Kolapo Oladapo Raji, at his residence in Ikate, Lekki, Lagos, on February 12. The 57-year-old had been on the agency’s watchlist since 2025. A search of his apartment led to the recovery of 89.2 kilograms of “Canadian Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, along with a 2024 Toyota Hilux vehicle. He allegedly admitted to entering the drug trade after profiting from financing consignments for overseas associates.
Further operations across Lagos, Kogi, Ondo, Bauchi, Delta, Edo, and Rivers states led to significant seizures and arrests. In Lagos, suspects were arrested with large quantities of skunk in Agbara and Oshodi. At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, a joint examination by NDLEA and Customs officials uncovered 170,900 bottles of codeine-based syrup in a container shipment.
Along the Okene/Lokoja highway in Kogi State, operatives intercepted 7,300 tramadol pills concealed in sound systems aboard a commuter bus, leading to the arrest of two suspects in a follow-up operation in Abuja.
In Ondo State, two suspects were arrested in Iju forest with a combined 393 kilograms of skunk. In Bauchi, operatives seized 936 kilograms of the substance in Azare town, with additional arrests linked to the haul.
In Delta and Edo states, further raids resulted in seizures, including the destruction of over 1,266 kilograms of cannabis farms in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo. Two suspects, including a 68-year-old grandmother, were apprehended.
Meanwhile, the agency said its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign continued nationwide, reaching schools and communities in Oyo, Yobe, Imo, Gombe, Cross River, Kano, and Lagos states.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers across the affected commands for their operational successes and reiterated the agency’s commitment to both drug supply reduction and demand reduction efforts.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the details in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja.