NDLEA busts South African cocaine suspect, arrests US-based grandma in Lagos

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 34-year-old South African woman with 36.65 kilogrammes of cocaine and a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother with 9.45kg of cannabis at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

The arrests were part of a series of anti-drug operations across several states, which also led to the seizure of large consignments of cannabis, pharmaceutical opioids and other illicit substances, as well as the arrest of a physically challenged woman in Delta State.

The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday, October 25, 2026.

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

A search of her two travel bags reportedly uncovered 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg. The drugs were allegedly mixed with dried pepper, wrapped in cellophane tape and packed into seven parcels.

During interrogation, Qhina reportedly told investigators that she arrived in Nigeria on September 30 specifically to collect the consignment. She claimed that another South African woman recruited her with a promise of R20,000 upon successful delivery.

She also allegedly identified two other members of the suspected trafficking network, including a United States-based individual and a Lagos-based car dealer.

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

The suspect reportedly admitted receiving Qhina at the airport and arranging accommodation for her at hotels in Amuwo-Odofin and near the airport ahead of her planned departure.

In a separate operation on October 21, NDLEA operatives arrested Anetor Gloria Ubong, a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother and realtor based in Richmond, Texas, upon her arrival from Houston on United Airlines flight.

A search of her checked-in luggage allegedly uncovered 18 parcels of loud, a potent cannabis strain, weighing 9.45kg and concealed with gift-wrapping paper.

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The agency said the woman, who holds Nigerian and United States passports, claimed the package had been delivered to her home in the US by her daughter and her daughter’s future brother-in-law for onward delivery to her daughter’s fiancé in Nigeria.

In Delta State, NDLEA operatives arrested 46-year-old Helen Bakporo Samson, a physically challenged woman, at Enhere Junction, Warri, on October 19, with 6kg of cannabis, known locally as skunk.

Another suspect, 51-year-old Peter Ugochukwu, was arrested in Warri with a large consignment of pharmaceutical opioids and other substances.

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

Quantities of tramadol 225mg, Molly and Cocodamol were also recovered. Ugochukwu was transferred to the NDLEA alongside a white Hummer bus by the Nigeria Police Force in Delta State.

Separately, a special operations unit arrested 41-year-old Eletu Rasheedat in the Eti-Osa area of Lagos on October 23. Officers allegedly recovered 5,820 diazepam pills, 780 tramadol tablets, 3.7kg of skunk and 230.25 litres of skuchies, an illicit psychoactive mixture.

The agency reported additional arrests and seizures in Kano, Taraba, Niger, Bauchi, Oyo, Ondo and Edo states.

In Kano, officers arrested 30-year-old Murtala Lawan in the Gerawa area on October 22 and seized 159 blocks of cannabis weighing 97.2kg.

In Taraba, 39-year-old Raiyanu Misa was arrested at the Lankaviri checkpoint in Yorro Local Government Area on October 23 with 95 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 60.175kg. On the same day, the police handed over another suspect arrested in Dakka village, Bali LGA, with 112 blocks weighing 81.49kg.

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

In Bauchi State, NDLEA operatives arrested 45-year-old Jamilu Mustapha, also known as Last Card, in Nasaru Town, Ningi LGA, on October 21. Seven jumbo sacks containing 379kg of cannabis were reportedly seized.

In Oyo State, officers arrested 41-year-old Fajana Dada Oluwaseyi in the Adamasingba area of Ibadan on October 19. The arrest followed his alleged escape during an earlier operation in which officers seized 197.8kg of cannabis from his residence on September 16.

In Ondo State, an intelligence-led raid on a farm at Board-Ala, Akure South, on October 20 led to the recovery of 56 bags of abandoned cannabis weighing 583kg.

In Edo State, officers destroyed two cannabis farms in Ugbada Forest, Uzebba, Owan West LGA, on October 18. The farms had an estimated yield of 2,023.14kg of cannabis. Operatives also destroyed 450kg of processed cannabis at the site and took 97kg as exhibits.

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A separate operation in Ewe community, Owan West, led to the arrest of 42-year-old Mary Edokhai with 35kg of cannabis.

The agency also disclosed that its commands and formations continued public sensitisation activities under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative, targeting schools, religious centres, workplaces and communities.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations for their vigilance, professionalism and intelligence-led approach.

He urged personnel across the country to sustain efforts to combat drug trafficking and substance abuse.