Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Trans Fortress Global Resources, Kolapo Oladapo Raji, over alleged involvement in an international drug trafficking network.

Raji, 57, was apprehended on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at his residence in the Safe Court Apartments area of Ikate, Lekki, Lagos. The arrest followed what the agency described as months of surveillance and intelligence gathering.

In a statement issued on Sunday, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the suspect had been on the agency’s watchlist since 2025 after intelligence reports allegedly linked him to the financing and distribution of illicit drug consignments connected to overseas partners.

According to the agency, Raji was arrested shortly after returning to Nigeria from the United Kingdom.

NDLEA officials said a search of his residence led to the recovery of four large travel bags containing parcels of a cannabis strain popularly referred to as “Canadian Loud.” The total weight of the substance was put at 89.20 kilograms. A 2024 model Toyota Hilux vehicle was also seized at the point of arrest.

Investigators allege that preliminary findings suggest the suspect financed multiple consignments for an associate based abroad before allegedly establishing an independent distribution network within Nigeria.

In a statement reportedly made to investigators, Raji is said to have admitted venturing into the illicit trade after receiving substantial financial returns from previous consignments handled through an overseas associate. NDLEA officials allege he told them the profits encouraged him to expand operations.

The agency has not disclosed whether additional suspects have been arrested in connection with the case. It also did not state when the suspect would be formally charged in court.

In a related development, operatives of the NDLEA have uncovered shocking drug trafficking schemes involving a woman who faked pregnancy to smuggle opioids, and an Ivorian national who swallowed dozens of cocaine wraps.

The interceptions occurred at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, and the Seme land border in Lagos, thwarting attempts to move illicit drugs to Europe and other destinations.

A 35-year-old Kano-based businesswoman, Rabi Muhammad, was arrested on Monday, February 16, 2026, at the departure tarmac of the Seme border while attempting to cross into Benin Republic.

NDLEA officers became suspicious of her protruding stomach. A thorough body search exposed the deception. Strapped to her abdomen was a pink-coloured calabash ingeniously crafted to simulate a baby bump and conceal 3,200 capsules of tramadol.

The opioids were intended for sale in Cotonou before further distribution.

On the same day in Kano, NDLEA operatives at MAKIA intercepted a 41-year-old Ivorian national, Michael Gohouri, also known as Anunwa Onyinye Michael, during outward clearance for an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Milan via Addis Ababa.

A body scan confirmed he had ingested illicit substances. Placed under medical observation, he later excreted 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49 kilograms.

Investigations revealed that Gohouri arrived in Lagos from Milan on January 17, 2026, shuttled between Lagos and Enugu for three weeks, and later traveled to Kano, where he ingested the cocaine in a hotel room. He reportedly stood to earn €5,000 upon successful delivery of the drugs in Milan.

The suspect, who claims mixed Ivorian and Nigerian heritage, applied for asylum in Italy in 2013 and holds a resident permit valid until May 25, 2026. He also possesses a Nigerian National Identification Number under the name Anunwa Onyinye Michael.

Under Nigerian law, drug trafficking offences attract severe penalties, including lengthy prison terms upon conviction. However, legal experts note that suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law.

The arrest adds to a series of high-profile operations by the NDLEA in recent months, as authorities intensify efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks operating within and outside the country.

As investigations continue, attention will likely focus on whether further links to international networks emerge and how the case proceeds through Nigeria’s judicial system.