The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) recently thwarted two distinct and desperate drug trafficking attempts on Monday, February 16, 2026, involving sophisticated concealment methods at Nigeria's Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) and the Seme Border. These incidents underscore the increasingly "bizarre concealment methods" employed by traffickers aiming to transport illicit consignments to Europe and neighboring West African countries, as noted by NDLEA officials.

At the Seme land border in Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted 35-year-old Kano-based businesswoman, Rabi Muhammad, at the departure tarmac as she attempted to cross into Cotonou, Benin Republic. Muhammad presented herself as heavily pregnant, with a conspicuously protruding belly. However, a full-body search conducted by operatives exposed a shocking deception: her pregnancy was fake. She had strapped a pink-coloured calabash around her stomach to simulate a baby bump, inside which 3,200 capsules of tramadol were tightly packed and concealed for sale in Cotonou. This elaborate ruse was an attempt to evade detection at the border, as confirmed by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director of Media & Advocacy.

On the same day, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano, NDLEA operatives arrested 41-year-old Ivorian national, Michael Gohouri, also known as Anunwa Onyinye Michael. Gohouri was undergoing outward clearance for passengers boarding Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 to Milan Malpensa via Addis Ababa when he was flagged for further checks. A subsequent body scan confirmed he had ingested illicit substances. Placed under observation, Gohouri subsequently excreted 82 wraps of cocaine, collectively weighing 1.49 kilograms. Investigations revealed that Gohouri had arrived in Lagos from Milan on January 17, 2026, and had spent three weeks shuttling between Lagos and Enugu before traveling to Kano for a week, where he ingested the cocaine consignment in his hotel room. He was slated to receive 5,000 euros upon successful delivery of the drugs in Milan. Gohouri, who resides in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, provided details of his parentage, noting his Ivorian father and Nigerian mother from Enugu State. He also held an Italian residence permit, valid until May 25, 2026, obtained after applying for asylum in 2013, and possessed a Nigerian National Identification Number.

Beyond these two prominent cases, the NDLEA has reported a series of other significant interdiction operations demonstrating its widespread efforts against drug trafficking. In Lagos, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Trans Fortress Global Resources, 57-year-old Kolapo Oladapo Raji, was arrested on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at his Ikate, Lekki residence after sustained surveillance. Raji, who had been on the NDLEA watchlist since 2025, was found with four large bags containing 89.20kg of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, and a 2024 model Toyota Hilux. He admitted to becoming involved in drug trade after initial financing for an overseas associate, with the significant profits motivating him to establish his own distribution channel.

Further operations in Lagos included the arrest of Ugwuja Kingsley with 56kg of skunk at Agbara on Thursday, February 19, and Ekwe Arinze with 76kg of the same substance at an Oshodi motor park on Tuesday, February 17. At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State, a joint examination with Customs and other security agencies led to the discovery of 170,900 bottles of codeine-based syrup in a container, following specific intelligence. Along the Okene/Lokoja highway in Kogi State, NDLEA operatives recovered 7,300 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed within two sound systems in a commuter bus on Sunday, February 15. A follow-up operation in Zuba, Abuja, on Tuesday, February 17, resulted in the arrest of Ezenma Kingsley (26) and Ezeja Anthony (29) linked to the tramadol consignment.

In Ondo State, Bright Timothy (28) was apprehended with 195kg of skunk and seeds at Iju forest on Thursday, February 19, while Godwin Bernard was caught with 198kg of skunk during raids on their enclaves in the forest. Bauchi State saw the arrest of Yahaya Adamu Gimba (48) with 936kg of skunk in Azare town on Tuesday, February 17, with another 85.8kg recovered from Gimba, Nasiru Suleman (36), Abdul Umar (25), and Musa Suleman (21) in the same area. In Delta State, Mgbeme Ejeoma (34) was seized with 37kg of skunk at Ughelli on Tuesday, February 17. Concurrently, NDLEA officers in Edo State raided the Etiosa camp in Owan West LGA, where they destroyed 1,266.8475kg of skunk cultivated on three farms. Additionally, 23kg of processed cannabis was recovered, leading to the apprehension of a 68-year-old grandmother, Evelyn Ogenewu, and 43-year-old Friday Iruoje.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, lauded the officers and men across various commands for their operational successes, emphasizing their balanced approach to both drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts. These continuous efforts highlight the agency's commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks nationwide.