The National (*87*) Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 34-year-old Ugandan woman with 87 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.15 kilograms at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, whereas she was making ready to return to her dwelling nation.
The company’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a press release issued on Sunday, November 8, 2026. The suspect, recognized as Farida Nansubuga, allegedly hid the cocaine round her pelvic area beneath two layers of underwear earlier than making an attempt to board a flight to Uganda.
NDLEA arrests Ugandan woman with 87 cocaine wraps
According to the NDLEA, Nansubuga arrived in Nigeria on October 29, 2026, with members of her church delegation for a prayer session at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) within the Ikotun-Egbe space of Lagos.
While the opposite members of the delegation returned to Uganda after the non secular gathering, the 34-year-old allegedly remained in Nigeria to gather a cocaine consignment for a good friend recognized as Joy, who lives in Uganda.
- “She came to Nigeria with members of her church for spiritual renewal at a prayer session in Lagos. But when it was time to go home, 34-year-old Ugandan, Ms. Farida Nansubuga, chose a different path. While the rest of her delegation flew back to Uganda, she stayed behind, not to pray some more, but to pick up a consignment of cocaine, which she hid in her private part in a bid to smuggle it into her country,” the assertion learn partly.
- The company stated she was intercepted on November 3 at the screening level of Terminal 2 of the Lagos airport throughout a joint passenger screening train involving NDLEA operatives and aviation safety personnel.
- A physique search revealed a suspicious substance round her pelvic area, prompting officers to maneuver her to a delegated non-public search room.
- A secondary search led to the restoration of 87 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.15 kilograms, strapped round her pelvic area beneath two layers of underwear.
During preliminary questioning, she reportedly stated a contact in Nigeria organized her transportation to a resort, the place an unidentified man handed her the medication.
She allegedly anticipated to obtain at least $1,000 after delivering the consignment in Uganda, though no particular cost had been agreed.
The NDLEA stated the suspect informed investigators that Joy had directed her to the Nigerian contact and that she was instructed to hide the medication beneath her clothes to evade airport safety.
NDLEA uncovers extra drug shipments at Lagos airport
The company additionally reported a number of different drug interceptions at the Lagos airport and throughout the nation.
In a separate operation at the airport, operatives intercepted 750,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg, weighing 526 kilograms and valued at N900 million, in a cargo imported from India.
The consignment arrived aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Ahmedabad on November 3 and was declared as Paracetamol 500mg.
A joint examination on November 6 revealed that 10 of the 11 cartons contained Tapentadol, whereas just one contained the declared paracetamol tablets.
NDLEA additionally intercepted 32 parcels of Loud, weighing 16.15 kilograms, hid in two wood sofas in a cargo cargo from Houston, United States, which arrived on November 4.
The operation led to the arrest of freight agent Ibrahim Abdulwaheed Adewale and 34-year-old caterer Adeoye Sarafa Ojo, who got here to gather the consignment.
In one other operation, operatives uncovered hashish and chemical substances used to supply Colorado, an artificial hashish, in a cargo from the United Kingdom. The substances had been hid in cartons labelled as snacks and detergent, resulting in arrests throughout follow-up operations.
The company additionally intercepted 22.2 kilograms of hashish destined for the United Kingdom and 296 tablets of Swinol meant for Australia at courier corporations in Lagos. Several tramadol shipments hid in vitamin C containers and feminine headwear had been additionally recovered.
NDLEA’s latest main drug seizures
The newest arrest comes amid a collection of main drug trafficking interceptions reported by the NDLEA at Nigerian airports, seaports and different areas.
In September 2026, the company arrested 38-year-old Philip Tunde at the Lagos airport with 4.8 kilograms of cocaine hid in footwear and journey baggage whereas he was making ready to board a flight to Milan, Italy.
In August, NDLEA operatives intercepted 47,200 Captagon tablets valued at over N1.5 billion and three.9 million tablets of Tramaking and Tapentadol value greater than N4.6 billion at the Lagos airport. The Captagon seizure adopted the arrest of a 49-year-old cross-border drug trafficking suspect who arrived in Lagos from Accra, Ghana.
The agency also reported intercepting illicit drugs worth over N7.1 billion at Lagos ports in October, together with 8,725 kilograms of tramadol powder valued at greater than N6.98 billion at Apapa Port
