The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 43-year-old female makeup artist, Adekoya Adebukonla Mary, after discovering 2.20 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the walls of her luggage at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
According to NDLEA officials, Adebukonla claimed she was traveling to India for fibroid surgery when she was apprehended on Monday, June 16, 2025. The arrest was based on credible intelligence, and she was detained at the boarding point for her Qatar Airways flight to India via Doha.
Femi Babafemi, Director of Media & Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, revealed that when her luggage was searched, two large parcels of cocaine were found factory-fitted in the walls of her suitcase.
"In her statement, she claimed she embarked on the trip for financial benefits but under the pretext of going to India for surgery to remove fibroid from her stomach," Babafemi stated.
Further investigation revealed that the suspect was recruited and funded by a drug baron currently at large, Akeem Ayinde Adekanbi, who owns Rockford Hotel in the Sango area of Ogun state while residing at Igbe Laara in Igbogbo area of Ikorodu, Lagos state.
Other NDLEA Operations Across Nigeria
In related operations, NDLEA operatives from the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted a shipment of sewn female dresses containing 1.3kg of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, at a courier company in Lagos on Thursday, June 19. The shipment was allegedly destined for Bahrain.
The agency also uncovered 850 grams of cocaine concealed in cloth hangers heading to Australia.
In Bauchi state, NDLEA officers arrested Ibrahim Galadima, 37, and Ibrahim Muhammed, 28, along the Bauchi-Darazo road on Monday, June 16. The operation led to the recovery of 1,013,000 pills of opioids, including tramadol, diazepam, and exol-5.
Other significant arrests and seizures included:
Bishir Isyaku, 38, nabbed on Tuesday, June 17, at Gwargwaje along Kaduna-Zaria expressway with 14.2kg skunk concealed in two sacks of charcoal and seven cartons of rubber solution weighing 198kg
Murtala Adamu, Ahmed Ismail, and four others arrested during raid operations at Karu Abattoir and Torabora areas of the Federal Capital Territory, with 6.9kg skunk and 59 grams of methamphetamine recovered
Umar Hamisu, 19, and Dahiru Abdullahi, 32, arrested in Kano with 56.2kg skunk
Obiwuru Henry, 27, nabbed with 23,720 capsules of tramadol and 1,400 ampoules of pentazocine along Jaba road in Fagge LGA
A 22-year-old female student of Kwara State Polytechnic, Olotin Nifemi, arrested for selling illicit substances to other students
In Edo state, NDLEA operatives destroyed 4,226.11kg of skunk at Ugbada camp, Uzebba forest, Owan West LGA, during a raid on Friday, June 20. A suspect, Albert Shamaki, 33, was apprehended during the operation.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers and men of MMIA, DOGI, Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Edo, and FCT Commands for the arrests and seizures of the past week. He also praised their counterparts in all commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
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