• Recovers large drug consignments across nine states

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 34-year-old South African woman, Qhina Beauty, with 36.65kg of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, and a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother, Anetor Gloria Ubong, with 9.45kg of high-grade cannabis known as loud, allegedly imported from the United States.

The arrests were among a series of operations across the country in which NDLEA officers recovered large consignments of illicit drugs in Lagos, Delta, Kano, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba and Oyo states.

Qhina was arrested at the Lagos airport’s departure hall on October 7, 2026, while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa via Doha.

A search of her two travelling bags led to the discovery of 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg, wrapped in cellophane tape, mixed with dried pepper and packed into seven parcels.

During interrogation, she reportedly told investigators that she arrived in Nigeria on September 30 specifically to collect the consignment.

She claimed another South African woman recruited her and promised to pay her R20,000 upon successful delivery.

She also identified two other alleged members of the syndicate, one based in the United States and the other a Lagos-based car dealer.

Further investigations led to the arrest of the 46-year-old car dealer, Uchenna Victor Umunnakwe, on October 14.

He was intercepted at Apple Junction, Ago Palace Way, Lagos, after NDLEA operatives conducted surveillance at his residence in Shasha.

According to the agency, Umunnakwe admitted receiving Qhina at the airport, accommodating her at Santiago Hotel in Amuwo-Odofin and later moving her to Cynarisso Hotel near the airport ahead of her departure.

In a separate operation at the Lagos airport on October 21, NDLEA operatives arrested Ubong, a realtor based in Richmond, Texas, who holds Nigerian and United States passports.

She was arrested upon arrival on a United Airlines flight from Houston after a search of her two checked-in boxes uncovered 18 parcels of loud weighing 9.45kg.

The substance was concealed in a box wrapped with gift paper.

The suspect reportedly claimed that her daughter and the daughter’s prospective brother-in-law delivered the box to her home in the U.S. for onward delivery in Nigeria to her daughter’s fiancé, identified as Jibola.

Meanwhile, operatives of the NDLEA’s special operations unit arrested 41-year-old Eletu Rasheedat in the Eti-Osa area of Lagos on October 23.

The operation led to the recovery of 5,820 diazepam pills, 780 tramadol tablets, 3.7kg of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis, and 230.25 litres of a drink known as skuchies.

In Delta State, operatives arrested 51-year-old Peter Ugochukwu in Warri and recovered a large consignment of pharmaceutical opioids and other controlled substances.

The drugs 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.

The suspect was transferred to the NDLEA, alongside a white Hummer bus, by the Delta State Police Command.

In a separate operation at Enhere Junction, Warri, a 46-year-old physically challenged woman, Helen Bakporo Samson, was arrested on October 19 with 6kg of skunk.

In Oyo State, NDLEA operatives arrested 41-year-old Fajana Dada Oluwaseyi in the Adamasingba area of Ibadan on October 19.

He was reportedly apprehended after initially escaping arrest when officers seized 197.8kg of cannabis from his residence on September 16.

In Kano State, a raid on the Gerawa area on October 22 led to the arrest of 30-year-old Murtala Lawan and the seizure of 159 blocks of cannabis weighing 97.2kg.

Similarly, NDLEA officers at the Lankaviri checkpoint in Yorro Local Council of Taraba State arrested 39-year-old Raiyanu Misa on October 23 with 95 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 60.175kg.

On the same day, the police handed over to the agency a suspect arrested at Dakka village in Bali Local Council of Taraba State with 112 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 81.49kg.

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

In Bauchi State, NDLEA operatives arrested 45-year-old Jamilu Mustapha, also known as Last Card, at Nasaru town in Ningi Local Council on October 21. Officers recovered 379kg of cannabis packed in seven large sacks.

Acting on intelligence, NDLEA operatives raided a farm at Board-Ala, Akure South Local Council of Ondo State, on October 20 and recovered 56 abandoned bags of cannabis weighing 583kg.

In Edo State, officers destroyed two cannabis farms in Ugbada Forest, Uzebba, Owan West Local Council, on October 18.

The farms had an estimated yield of 2,023.14kg of cannabis.

The operatives also destroyed 450kg of processed cannabis at the site and took another 97kg as exhibits.