NDLEA Nabs South African Woman, US-Based Grandma, and Dismantles Nationwide Drug Syndicates in Multi-State Raids

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted massive shipments of illicit drugs at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos and conducted sweeping nationwide raids that led to multiple arrests, including a 34-year-old South African woman and a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother.

The nationwide operations, detailed in a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, also resulted in the seizure of tons of narcotics across Lagos, Kano, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo, and Delta states.

Airport Interceptions: Cocaine and “Loud” Smuggling Rings Crushed

The airport operations yielded two high-profile arrests involving international drug syndicates utilizing Lagos as a transit hub:

• The South African Courier: On October 7, 2026, NDLEA operatives at the departure hall of the MMIA arrested 34-year-old Qhina Beauty as she attempted to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa via Doha. A meticulous search of her two travelling bags revealed 30 blocks of cocaine weighing a combined 36.65 kilograms. To evade canine detection, the narcotics were laced with dried pepper, wrapped in cello tape, and packed into seven separate parcels.During interrogation, Qhina disclosed that she arrived in Nigeria on September 30 specifically to pick up the consignment. Recruited by another South African woman with the promise of a R20,000 payout upon successful delivery, she was linked to an international syndicate involving a US-based handler and a Lagos-based car dealer. Subsequent intelligence and surveillance led to the October 14 arrest of 46-year-old car dealer Uchenna Victor Umunnakwe at Apple Junction, Ago Palace Way, Lagos. Umunnakwe confessed to receiving Qhina at the airport, lodging her at an Amuwo-Odofin hotel, and later moving her closer to the airport ahead of her aborted flight.
• The US-Based Grandmother: On October 21, NDLEA officers intercepted 62-year-old Anetor Gloria Ubong, a realtor based in Richmond, Texas, who holds dual Nigerian and US citizenship. She arrived on a United Airlines flight from Houston. A search of her checked-in luggage uncovered 18 parcels of “loud”—a high-grade imported synthetic cannabis—weighing 9.45kg and concealed with gift-wrapping paper. Ubong claimed the boxes were handed to her home in the US by her daughter and future son-in-law for delivery in Nigeria to her daughter’s fiancé, Jibola.

Read Also: Nigeria needs teachers transformation through colleges of…

Nationwide Sweeps: Tons of Illicit Drugs Seized

Beyond the airport, specialized NDLEA units and state commands executed coordinated raids that dismantled regional distribution networks:

• Lagos: On October 23, special operations operatives in Eti-Osa arrested 41-year-old Eletu Rasheedat, recovering 5,820 pills of diazepam, 780 tablets of tramadol, 3.7kg of skunk, and 230.25 litres of the liquid drug mixture skuchies.
• Delta State: In Warri, 51-year-old Peter Ugochukwu was arrested with a massive cache of pharmaceutical opioids—including tens of thousands of tramadol capsules and tablets, codeine syrup, Rohypnol, diazepam, pentazocine, Molly, and Cocodamol—transferred alongside a white Hummer bus from the Nigeria Police Force. In a separate operation at Enhere Junction, a 46-year-old physically challenged woman, Helen Bakporo Samson, was nabbed with 6.0kg of skunk.
• Oyo State: Operatives apprehended 41-year-old Fajana Dada Oluwaseyi in Ibadan on October 19 following an intense manhunt after he evaded arrest during a previous raid on September 16, which yielded 197.8kg of cannabis sativa at his residence.
• Northern & Middle Belt Operations: In Kano, a Gerawa area raid on October 22 led to the arrest of 30-year-old Murtala Lawan with 159 blocks of cannabis weighing 97.2kg. In Taraba, checkpoints and police handovers resulted in the seizure of over 140kg of compressed cannabis and the arrest of 39-year-old Raiyanu Misa. Meanwhile, in Niger State, Emmanuel Ekene, 26, was intercepted on the Sabo-Kainji road with 64,000 opioid pills, while 45-year-old Jamilu Mustapha was caught in Bauchi with 379kg of cannabis packed in seven jumbo sacks.
• Forest and Farm Raids: In Ondo State, an intelligence-driven raid on a farm in Board-Ala, Akure South, uncovered 56 bags of abandoned cannabis weighing 583kg. In Edo State, two large cannabis farms spanning the Ugbada Forest in Owan West with an estimated yield of over 2,000kg were destroyed, alongside the arrest of 42-year-old Mary Edokhai with 35kg of processed psychoactive substances.

Sustained War Against Drug Abuse (WADA)

Alongside interdiction efforts, the agency’s commands nationwide continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaigns. Educational and community enlightenment lectures were rolled out to institutions including Oje Grammar School (Ibadan), Government Day Secondary School (Niger), Baptist Primary School (Ogun), and secondary schools across Kano, Enugu, Anambra, and Osun states.

Reacting to the successful operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended officers across the MMIA, Lagos, Kano, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo, and Delta commands for their vigilance and intelligence-driven approach, urging them to maintain the aggressive momentum against drug cartels.