The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has foiled attempt by Adekoya Adebukonla Mary, a 43-year-old make-up artist, to smuggle 2.20kg of cocaine out of the country.
She was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos on Monday, June 16, 2025, while travelling to India for fibroid surgery.
Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Spokesman, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
The statement said Adekoya concealed the drugs within the walls of her suitcase.
She was placed under surveillance and allowed to check in her luggage before being intercepted at the boarding gate for her Qatar Airways flight to India via Doha.
Adekoya confessed that she was recruited by a drug baron, Akeem Ayinde Adekanbi, who is currently at large, adding that the surgery story was a cover up.
She claimed she owned the Rockford Hotel in the Sango area of Ogun State and resides in the Igbe Laara area of Ikorodu, Lagos State.
NDLEA operatives in Bauchi have arrested Ibrahim Galadima, 37, and Ibrahim Muhammed, 28, along the Bauchi -Darazo Road with over one million opioid pills, including tramadol, diazepam, and Exol-5.
The NDLEA operatives in Kaduna also arrested one Bishir Isyaku, 38, on June 17 with 14.2kg of skunk hidden in sacks of charcoal and seven cartons of rubber solution weighing 198kg.
The NDLEA operatives in Kano also arrested Umar Hamisu, 19, and Dahiru Abdullahi, 32, with 56.2kg of skunk, while Obiwuru Henry, 27, was arrested with 23,720 capsules of tramadol and 1,400 ampoules of pentazocine
In Abuja, a raid on June 18 in Karu Abattoir and Torabora led to the arrest of Murtala Adamu, Ahmed Ismai’l, and four others and seized substances included 6.9kg of skunk and 59g of methamphetamine.
Olotin Nifemi, a 22-year-old Kwara Polytechnic student in Kwara State, was arrested with 1kg of skunk on June 19.
NDLEA operatives raided Ugbada Camp in Edo State, where they destroyed 4,226.11kg of skunk and arrested a suspect, Albert Shamaki, 33.
It said its operatives in Edo have also arrested one Esther Abumere, 28, at Big Jamaya Supermarket and Eko Gift, 38, in Igueben, with drugs like Colorado, Molly, tramadol, and over 1.14kg of skunk recovered from them.