OPERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested several suspected drug traffickers and seized substantial quantities of cocaine, cannabis, pharmaceutical opioids and other controlled substances in coordinated operations across Nigeria.
Among those arrested are a 34-year-old South African woman allegedly attempting to smuggle 36.65 kilogrammes of cocaine out of Nigeria and a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother found with 9.45kg of cannabis upon arrival at Lagos airport.
The operations also led to the arrest of a Lagos-based car dealer suspected of facilitating the South African woman’s movements, while additional suspects were apprehended in Delta, Oyo, Kano, Taraba, Niger, Bauchi, Ondo and Edo states.
The NDLEA disclosed the arrests and seizures in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
South African Woman, Lagos Car Dealer Arrested
The agency said Qhina Beauty, 34, was arrested at the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on 7 October 2026 while preparing to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa via Doha.
A search of her two travelling bags allegedly uncovered 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg.
The substance was reportedly mixed with dried pepper, wrapped in cellophane tape and concealed in seven separate parcels.
During questioning, Qhina allegedly told investigators that she arrived in Nigeria on 30 September to collect the drugs.
She claimed that another South African woman recruited her for the assignment, offering R20,000 upon successful delivery.
According to the NDLEA, she also identified two other alleged members of the network, including an individual based in the United States and a Lagos-based car dealer.
Investigators subsequently arrested the dealer, Uchenna Victor Umunnakwe, 46, at Apple Junction, Ago Palace Way, Lagos, on 14 October.
The agency said the suspect was intercepted after officers conducted surveillance at his residence in Shasha.
He allegedly admitted receiving Qhina at the airport and arranging accommodation for her at Santiago Hotel in Amuwo-Odofin before moving her to Cynarisso Hotel near the airport.
The investigation into the alleged trafficking network is continuing, according to the agency’s account.
Grandmother Arrested with 9.45kg of Loud
In another operation, NDLEA operatives arrested Anetor Gloria Ubong, 62, upon her arrival at the Lagos airport from Houston, United States, on Wednesday, 21 October.
Ubong, a realtor based in Richmond, Texas, reportedly holds both Nigerian and American passports.
A search of her checked-in luggage allegedly uncovered 18 parcels of loud, a high-grade cannabis product, weighing 9.45kg.
The drugs were concealed in a box wrapped with gift-wrapping paper.
The agency said Ubong claimed that her daughter and the daughter’s prospective brother-in-law had delivered the box to her home in the United States for onward delivery in Nigeria to her daughter’s fiancé, identified as Jibola.
Delta Arrest Yields Thousands of Opioid Pills
In Delta State, NDLEA operatives arrested Peter Ugochukwu, 51, in Warri over an alleged cache of pharmaceutical opioids and other controlled substances.
The recovered items reportedly included 29,350 capsules of tramadol, 6,620 tablets of tramadol 200mg, 4,116 bottles of codeine syrup, 11,340 tablets of Rohypnol and 3,500 tablets of diazepam.
Officers also recovered 300 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 200 ampoules of diazepam injection and quantities of tramadol 225mg, Molly and Cocodamol.
The suspect was handed over to the NDLEA by the Nigeria Police Force in Delta State alongside a white Hummer bus.
In a separate operation at Enhere Junction, Warri, a 46-year-old physically challenged woman, Helen Bakporo Samson, was arrested on Monday, 19 October, with 6kg of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis.
Suspects Nabbed in Lagos, Oyo
In Lagos, officers attached to the NDLEA’s special operations unit arrested 41-year-old Eletu Rasheedat in the Eti Osa area on Friday, 23 October.
The operation resulted in the recovery of 5,820 pills of diazepam, 780 tablets of tramadol, 3.7kg of skunk and 230.25 litres of skuchies.
In Ibadan, Oyo State, 41-year-old Fajana Dada Oluwaseyi was arrested in Adamasingba on Monday, 19 October.
The NDLEA said the suspect had earlier escaped arrest when officers seized 197.8kg of cannabis from his house on 16 September.
Nationwide Raids Recover Hundreds of Kilogrammes of Cannabis
Further operations yielded large quantities of cannabis and opioids in northern and southern states.
At Gerawa in Kano State, operatives arrested 30-year-old Murtala Lawan on Thursday, 22 October, and recovered 159 blocks of cannabis weighing 97.2kg.
In Taraba State, 39-year-old Raiyanu Misa was arrested at the Lankaviri checkpoint in Yorro Local Government Area on Friday, 23 October, with 95 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 60.175kg.
On the same day, the Nigeria Police Force handed over a suspect arrested at Dakka village in Bali Local Government Area, alongside 112 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 81.49kg.
In Niger State, 26-year-old Emmanuel Ekene was arrested on the Sabo-Kainji Road in Borgu Local Government Area on Monday, 19 October.
The agency said 64,000 pills of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam, were recovered during the operation.
At Nasaru Town in Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State, NDLEA operatives arrested 45-year-old Jamilu Mustapha, also known as Last Card, on Wednesday, 21 October.
The raid led to the seizure of 379kg of cannabis packed in seven large sacks.
NDLEA Destroys Cannabis Farms in Ondo, Edo
In Ondo State, officers acting on intelligence raided a farm at Board-Ala in Akure South Local Government Area on Tuesday, 20 October.
They recovered 56 bags of abandoned cannabis weighing 583kg.
In Edo State, two cannabis farms in Ugbada Forest, Uzebba, Owan West Local Government Area, were destroyed on Sunday, 18 October.
The farms had an estimated yield of 2,023.14kg of cannabis. The operatives also destroyed 450kg of processed cannabis at the site, retaining another 97kg as exhibits.
A 42-year-old woman, Mary Edokhai, was also arrested at Ewe community in Owan West with 35kg of cannabis.
Marwa Orders Sustained Crackdown
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended personnel involved in the operations, urging them to maintain the momentum in the fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse.
The agency also reported continued public awareness campaigns under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative, with sensitisation activities conducted in schools and communities across several states.
The programmes included visits to schools in Oyo, Niger, Ogun, Kano, Enugu, Anambra and Osun states.
The statement was signed by Babafemi at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja on Sunday, 25 October 2026.
