Evangelist arrested with 87 cocaine wraps concealed in private part

A 34-year-old Ugandan woman has been arrested in Nigeria for allegedly attempting to smuggle 1.15kg of cocaine to her home country, with the drugs concealed around her pelvic region beneath two layers of underwear.

Farida Nansubuga was apprehended by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on November 3, 2026, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos while preparing to board a flight to Uganda.

The agency said 87 wraps of cocaine were discovered concealed around her private parts during a joint screening operation involving NDLEA officers and aviation security personnel.

According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, Nansubuga had arrived in Nigeria on October 29 with members of her church for a prayer session at the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Ikotun, Lagos.

However, while the other members of her delegation returned to Uganda, she allegedly remained in Nigeria to collect the drug consignment for a friend identified as Joy.

In a statement, the agency said the suspect had travelled to Nigeria under the guise of religious activities but later became involved in an attempt to transport the cocaine across international borders.

Preliminary investigations reportedly established that a Nigerian contact arranged transportation for her to a hotel, where an unidentified man handed over the drugs.

Nansubuga allegedly told investigators that she was instructed to conceal the cocaine beneath her clothing to evade security checks.

She was reportedly promised at least $1,000 for successfully delivering the consignment, although no definite payment arrangement had been reached.

Reacting to the arrest, NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), warned that drug trafficking networks were increasingly exploiting religious activities and international travel to recruit unsuspecting or willing couriers.

He described the incident as a disturbing example of how criminal networks use religious affiliations and travel opportunities to facilitate drug trafficking.

“The case of the Ugandan woman is a sad reminder that drug cartels will stop at nothing, including exploiting faith and religious travel, to recruit couriers for their deadly trade,” he said.

The NDLEA said the arrest formed part of its efforts to disrupt international drug trafficking networks and prevent Nigeria from being used as a transit point for illicit drugs.