NDLEA Arrests South African Woman With 36.65kg Cocaine

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 34-year-old South African woman, Qhina Beauty, with 36.65 kilogrammes of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

The agency also arrested a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother, Anetor Gloria Ubong, over the alleged importation of 9.45kg of high-grade cannabis, popularly known as loud, from the United States.

The arrests were disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who said the seizures formed part of a series of anti-drug operations across several states.

According to the statement, Beauty was arrested on October 7 at the airport’s departure hall while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa via Doha.

A search of her two travelling bags led to the recovery of 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg. The drugs were concealed with dried pepper, wrapped in cellophane tape and packed into seven separate parcels.

“Qhina was arrested at the departure hall of the Lagos airport on 7th October 2026 while trying to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa via Doha. A search of her two travelling bags led to the recovery of 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg, laced with dried pepper, wrapped in cellophane tape and packed into seven separate parcels,” Babafemi said.

The agency said Beauty told investigators that she arrived in Nigeria on September 30 specifically to collect the consignment. She reportedly claimed that another South African woman recruited her and promised to pay her R20,000 after a successful delivery.

According to the statement, she also identified two other alleged members of the syndicate, one based in the United States and the other a car dealer in Lagos.

Babafemi said further investigations led to the arrest of the 46-year-old car dealer, Uchenna Victor Umunnakwe, on October 14 at Apple Junction, Ago Palace Way, Lagos, following days of surveillance at his residence in Shasha.

“He admitted receiving Qhina at the airport, lodging her at Santiago Hotel in Amuwo-Odofin, and later moving her to Cynarisso Hotel near the airport, ahead of her departure,” the statement said.

Nigerian-American grandmother arrested with cannabis

In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives arrested Ubong on October 21 after she arrived at the Lagos airport aboard a United Airlines flight from Houston, Texas.

Babafemi said Ubong, a realtor based in Richmond, Texas, who holds Nigerian and United States passports, was found with 9.45kg of loud concealed in her two checked-in boxes.

The agency said the consignment comprised 18 parcels hidden with gift-wrapping paper.

According to Babafemi, Ubong told investigators that her daughter and the daughter’s future 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.

NDLEA arrests suspects, seizes drugs across states

Beyond the airport arrests, the agency said its operatives recovered large quantities of illicit drugs and pharmaceutical opioids in operations across Lagos, Delta, Kano, Taraba, Niger, Bauchi, Ondo, Edo and Oyo states.

In Lagos, operatives of the agency’s special operations unit arrested 41-year-old Eletu Rasheedat in the Eti-Osa area on October 23.

The agency said 5,820 pills of diazepam, 780 tablets of tramadol, 3.7kg of skunk and 230.25 litres of skuchies were recovered during the operation.

In Delta State, a 51-year-old suspect, Peter Ugochukwu, was arrested in Warri with a large quantity of pharmaceutical opioids and other substances.

Babafemi said the recovered items included 29,350 capsules of tramadol, 6,620 tablets of tramadol 200mg, 4,116 bottles of codeine syrup, 11,340 tablets of Rohypnol, 3,500 tablets of diazepam, 300 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 200 ampoules of diazepam injection.

“Other substances recovered from him included quantities of tramadol 225mg, Molly and Cocodamol. He was transferred to the NDLEA alongside a white Hummer bus by the Nigeria Police Force in Delta State,” the statement added.

Also in Warri, operatives arrested a 46-year-old physically challenged woman, Helen Samson, at Enhere Junction on October 19 and recovered 6kg of skunk.

In Oyo State, the agency said it arrested 41-year-old Fajana Dada Oluwaseyi in the Adamasingba area of Ibadan on October 19. The suspect had allegedly escaped arrest when officers seized 197.8kg of cannabis from his residence on September 16.

In Kano State, a raid in the Gerawa area on October 22 led to 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. The agency said 95 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 60.175kg were recovered from him.

On the same day, the police handed over another suspect who had been arrested in Dakka Village, Bali Local Government Area, with 112 blocks of cannabis weighing 81.49kg.

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

In Bauchi State, operatives arrested 45-year-old Jamilu Mustapha, also known as Last Card, in Nasaru town, Ningi Local Government Area, on October 21. The agency said 379kg of cannabis packed in seven large sacks was recovered.

The NDLEA also reported recovering 583kg of abandoned cannabis in 56 bags during a raid on a farm in Board-Ala, Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State, on October 20.

In Edo State, two cannabis farms in Ugbada Forest, Uzebba, Owan West Local Government Area, were destroyed on October 18.

According to Babafemi, the farms had an estimated yield of 2,023.14kg. Operatives burnt 450kg of processed cannabis at the site and took another 97kg as exhibits.

The agency also arrested a 42-year-old suspect, Mary Edokhai, in Ewe community, Owan West, with 35kg of cannabis.

The NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers of the affected commands for their vigilance, professionalism and intelligence-led operations.

Marwa urged officers across the country to sustain efforts to combat drug trafficking and substance abuse, the statement said.