NDLEA arrests woman with drugs in fake pregnancy

…Arrests real estate chief executive leading a drug cartel

…As Ivorian excretes 82 wraps of cocaine

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have foiled bizarre plots by two drug traffickers to move consignments of cocaine and opioids hidden in their stomach and fake baby bump.

The NDLEA, revealed on Sunday, that the suspects were apprehended as they attempted to slip through tight surveillance of its operatives at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) Kano and the Seme land border in Lagos to Europe and other destinations.

Femi Babafemi , the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, in a statement, on Sunday, said a 35 years old Kano based businesswoman,  Rabi Muhammad, was intercepted by NDLEA officers at the departure tarmac of Seme land border with a protruding tummy on Monday 16th February 2026 while attempting to cross to Cotonou in Benin Republic.

” A full body search however revealed the absurd: her pregnancy was fake and her baby bump was designed with a pink coloured calabash used to conceal 3,200 capsules of tramadol, which she tied around her stomach and was taking to Cotonou to sell.

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“Same day in Kano, NDLEA operatives at the screening point of the departure hall of MAKIA,  intercepted a 41-year-old Ivorian, Michael Gohouri (also known as Anunwa Onyinye Michael) during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 to Milan, Malpensa via Addis Ababa. When he was taken for body scan, the result confirmed ingestion of illicit substances”.

The Ivorian who was placed under observation, later excreted 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49 kilograms.

According to the NDLEA, “Michael Gohouri had arrived Lagos from Milan on 17th January, 2026 and was shuttling from Lagos to Enugu for three weeks. He later travelled to Kano where he stayed for a week before ingesting the cocaine consignment in his hotel room. He’s expected to be paid 5,000 Euros when he delivers the drugs in Milan.”

The suspect who hails from Reu duce Avenue 13 Abidjan, Cote d’ivoire  claims his father, Bade Gohouri is an Ivorian while his mother is from Anunwa compound, Urunnebo village Ukwan in Enugu State.

The Ivorian had applied for asylum in Italy in 2013 and obtained a resident permit which expires 25th May 2026 while he has a Nigerian National Identification Number with his name written as Anunwa Onyinye Michael.

The anti- narcotics agency also revealed that Kolapo Oladapo Raji,  Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Trans Fortress Global Resources, a notable real estate development firm, has been arrested by NDLEA operatives.

Raji has been on NDLEA watchlist since 2025 following credible intelligence.

The agency said “the 57-year-old drug kingpin was arrested at his Safe Court Apartment residence in Ikate, Lekki Lagos on Thursday 12th February 2026 after sustained surveillance soon after his return from the United Kingdom.

“A search of his residence led to the recovery of four large bags containing parcels of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis with a total weight of 89.20kg”

The NDLEA said it also recovered  a 2024 model Toyota Hilux.

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“In his statement, he claimed he got involved in the illicit drug trade after financing some consignments for his overseas associate. He said hundreds of millions of naira paid to him as profit by his associate motivated him to establish his own independent drug distribution channel.”

In another interdiction,  operation in Lagos, a suspect Ugwuja Kingsley was nabbed with 56kg skunk at Agbara on Thursday 19th February, while Ekwe Arinze was caught with 76kg of same substance at a motor park in Oshodi on Tuesday 17th February.

“At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers state, a total of 170, 900 bottles of codeine-based syrup were discovered in a container during a joint examination of the shipment by NDLEA officers, Customs and other security agencies.

“The request by NDLEA for a 100% physical examination and search of the container followed processed intelligence on the shipment.”

Also the agency said no fewer than 7,300 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed in two sound systems were recovered by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Okene/Lokoja highway Kogi state during the search of a commuter bus coming from Lagos to Kano on Sunday 15th February.

“A follow up operation in Zuba, Abuja on Tuesday 17th February led to the arrest of the two suspects linked to the consignment: Ezenma Kingsley, 26, and Ezeja Anthony, 29.

“In Ondo state, a suspect Bright Timothy, 28, was arrested at Iju forest on Thursday 19th February with 195kg skunk and seeds while another suspect Godwin Bernard was nabbed with 198kg of same substance when NDLEA operatives raided their enclaves in the forest.

“A total of 936 kilograms of skunk were seized from a suspect, Yahaya Adamu Gimba, 48, when he was arrested at Azare town, Katagun LGA, Bauchi on Tuesday 17th February, while another 85.8kg of same substance was recovered from Yahaya Adamu Gimba; Nasiru Suleman, 36; Abdul Umar, 25, and Musa Suleman, 21 in Azare”.

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The agency said a total of 37kg of skunk was seized from Mgbeme Ejeoma, 34, at Club Street, Ekeredjebor, Ughelli, Delta state on Tuesday 17th February, NDLEA officers in Edo state same day raided Etiosa camp in Owan West LGA where they destroyed 1,266.8475kg skunk on three farms.

This is just as about 23kg of processed cannabis were equally recovered, with two suspects: a 68-year-old grandmother, Evelyn Ogenewu, and a 43-year-old, Friday Iruoje, apprehended.

The agency assured that the Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week, with the same intensified vigour

“These include: WADA sensitisation lecture to students and staff of Muslim Community High School, Ayetoro – Oke, Kajola LGA, Oyo; Government Girls Secondary School, Gadaka, Yobe; Owerri City Secondary School, Owerri, Imo; Government Day Secondary School, Tongo, Gombe; St. Catherine’s College, Igoli, Ogoja, Cross River; Government Senior Girls Secondary School, Kofar Kudu, Kano; and Model Government College, Ikorodu, Lagos state, among others.”