The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a South African woman with 36.65 kilograms of cocaine and a Nigerian-American grandmother with 9.45kg of “loud,” a synthetic cannabis, in two separate operations at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

The agency also recovered large quantities of illicit drugs in raids across Kano, Lagos, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo and Delta states, according to a statement from its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

Qhina Beauty, 34, was arrested at the departure hall on October 7 while trying to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa via Doha. Officers found 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg in her two bags. The drug was laced with dried pepper, wrapped in cello tape and packed into seven parcels.

Qhina told investigators she arrived in Nigeria on September 30 specifically to collect the consignment. She said another South African woman recruited her with a promise of R20,000 on successful delivery, and that she was introduced to two other syndicate members, one in the United States and the other a Lagos-based car dealer.

On October 14, operatives arrested the car dealer, 46-year-old Uchenna Victor Umunnakwe, at Apple Junction, Ago Palace Way, Lagos, after days of surveillance at his Shasha residence. He admitted receiving Qhina at the airport and lodging her at Santiago Hotel in Amuwo-Odofin. He later moved her to Cynarisso Hotel near the airport before her departure.

In a separate operation on Wednesday, October 21, officers arrested 62-year-old Anetor Gloria Ubong, a Richmond, Texas-based realtor who holds Nigerian and US passports, after she arrived on a United Airlines flight from Houston. Her two checked boxes contained 18 parcels of “loud,” concealed with gift wrapping paper. She claimed her daughter and the daughter’s future brother-in-law delivered the box to her home in the US, and that it was meant for onward delivery in Nigeria to her daughter’s fiancé, Jibola.

Elsewhere in Lagos, a special operations unit arrested Eletu Rasheedat, 41, in Eti Osa on October 23. Officers recovered 5,820 pills of diazepam, 780 tablets of tramadol, 3.7kg of skunk and 230.25 litres of “skuchies.”

In Delta State, Peter Ugochukwu, 51, was arrested in Warri with a large cache of pharmaceutical opioids, including 29,350 capsules of tramadol, 6,620 tablets of tramadol 200mg, 4,116 bottles of codeine syrup, 11,340 tablets of Rohypnol and 3,500 tablets of diazepam. He was transferred along with a white Hummer bus from the Nigeria Police Force, Delta State. Separately, Helen Bakporo Samson, 46, who is physically challenged, was arrested at Enhere Junction, Warri, on October 19 with 6.0kg of skunk.

In Oyo State, Fajana Dada Oluwaseyi, 41, was arrested in Adamasingba, Ibadan, on October 19. He had earlier escaped arrest when officers seized 197.8kg of cannabis sativa from his house on September 16.

A raid in Gerawa, Kano, on October 22 led to the arrest of Murtala Lawan, 30, and the seizure of 159 blocks of cannabis weighing 97.2kg. In Taraba State, Raiyanu Misa, 39, was arrested on October 23 at the Lankaviri checkpoint in Yorro LGA with 60.175kg of compressed cannabis. The same day, police handed over a suspect arrested at Dakka village, Bali LGA, with 112 blocks weighing 81.49kg.

In Niger State, Emmanuel Ekene, 26, was arrested on October 19 on the Sabo-Kainji road, Borgu LGA, with 64,000 opioid pills, including tramadol and diazepam. In Bauchi State, Jamilu Mustapha, 45, alias “Last Card,” was arrested on October 21 at Nasaru Town, Ningi LGA, with 379kg of cannabis packed in seven jumbo sacks.

Acting on intelligence, officers in Ondo State raided a farm at Board-Ala, Akure South, on October 20 and recovered 56 bags of abandoned cannabis weighing 583kg. In Edo State, two cannabis farms in Ugbada Forest, Uzebba, Owan West LGA, with an estimated yield of 2,023.14kg, were destroyed on October 18. Operatives burnt 450kg of processed cannabis on site and took 97kg as an exhibit. In a related operation at Ewe community, Owan West, Mary Edokhai, 42, was arrested with 35kg of cannabis.

Agency commands also continued their “War Against Drug Abuse” (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities. Lectures were held at Oje Grammar School, Ibadan; Government Day Secondary School, Kwamba, Niger; Baptist Primary School, Olorunda, Ogun; Government Secondary School, Yalea, Kano; Community Secondary School, Igogoro, Enugu; Urban Girls Secondary School, Onitsha, Anambra; and Kelebe Community Grammar School, Osogbo, Osun.

NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended officers of the MMIA, Kano, Lagos, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo and Delta commands for their vigilance, professionalism and intelligence-driven approach. He urged them to sustain the tempo of the fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse.