NDLEA apprehends makeup artist, student over drug trafficking

A 43-year-old makeup artist named Adekoya Mary, who claimed she was travelling to India for fibroid surgery, has been taken into custody by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, for allegedly attempting to traffic 2.20 kilograms of cocaine hidden in her luggage.

The operation, which took place on Monday, June 16, 2025, was carried out based on actionable intelligence.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, explained that Adekoya was monitored and allowed to complete her check-in before she was arrested at the boarding gate for her Qatar Airways flight en route to India via Doha.

During the luggage search, Babafemi reported that NDLEA agents discovered two large packets of cocaine professionally embedded in the inner walls of her suitcase.

He stated that during questioning, the suspect admitted that although she claimed she was travelling for health reasons, her real motivation was financial gain.

“When her luggage was searched, two large parcels of cocaine weighing 2.20kg were found concealed in the walls of the suitcase she was carrying.

“In her statement, she claimed she embarked on the trip for financial benefits but under the pretext of going to India for surgery to remove fibroid from her stomach.

“Further investigation revealed the suspect was recruited and funded by a drug baron currently at large, Akeem Ayinde Adekanbi who owns Rockford Hotel located in Sango area of Ogun state while he lives at Igbe Laara in Igbogbo area of Ikorodu, Lagos state”, the statement added.

At a courier service in Lagos, Babafemi mentioned that NDLEA personnel from the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation intercepted a parcel on June 19 containing 1.3kg of Loud, a potent cannabis variety, sewn into women’s clothing and destined for Bahrain.

He also noted that at a different courier company on the same day, June 19, officials uncovered 850 grams of cocaine packed within clothes hangers intended for shipment to Australia.

In Bauchi State, Babafemi said that NDLEA operatives, acting on credible intelligence, apprehended 37-year-old Ibrahim Galadima and 28-year-old Ibrahim Muhammed along the Bauchi-Darazo route on June 16, seizing a total of 1,013,000 pills of opioids, including tramadol, diazepam, and exol-5.

“While 38-year-old Bishir Isyaku was nabbed on Tuesday 17th June at Gwargwaje along Kaduna – Zaria expressway with 14.2kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, concealed in two sacks of charcoal and seven cartons of rubber solution weighing 198kg, NDLEA operatives in Abuja on Wednesday 18th June arrested Murtala Adamu, Ahmed Ismai’l and four others during raid operations at Karu Abbattoir and Torabora areas of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Recovered from them include 6.9kg skunk and 59grams of methamphetamine,” he added.

At the Kano Command, Babafemi reported that officers arrested several suspects, including 19-year-old Umar Hamisu and 32-year-old Dahiru Abdullahi, on the Zaria-Kano highway on Thursday, June 19, in possession of 56.2kg of skunk. Other individuals arrested included Obiwuru Henry with 23,720 tramadol capsules and 1,400 ampoules of pentazocine, Abubakar Modu with 36.6kg of skunk, and Abdulkadir Muhammed with 32kg.

In a separate incident in Kwara State, Babafemi said that 22-year-old Olotin Nifemi, a student at Kwara State Polytechnic, was arrested on June 19 along Kwara Poly Road, Ilorin, with 1kg of skunk in her possession.

She was identified as a known drug supplier within the student community.

Babafemi said, “A 22-year-old female Student of Kwara State Polytechnic, Olotin Nifemi, notorious for selling illicit substances to other students, was on Thursday June 19 arrested at her base along Kwara Poly road, Ilorin, with 1kg skunk.”

In Edo State, he noted that a major operation carried out on Friday, June 20, at Ugbada camp in the Uzebba forest of Owan West Local Government Area led to the seizure and destruction of 4,226.11kg of skunk and the arrest of a 33-year-old suspect, Albert Shamaki.

Babafemi added that further raids at Big Jamaya supermarket in Emado and a shop in Idumeka, Igueben, resulted in the confiscation of various illegal drugs and the arrest of suspects identified as 28-year-old Esther Abumere and 38-year-old Eko Gift.

“Illicit substances recovered during these operations included Colorado, Loud, Molly, Tramadol, and other opioids,” he added.