Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a businesswoman accused of attempting to smuggle tramadol by disguising the drugs inside a fake pregnancy bump.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed that the suspect, identified as Kano-based Rabi Muhammed, was arrested last Monday at the Seme border while trying to travel to Cotonou, Benin Republic.
According to Babafemi, NDLEA officers became suspicious after noticing her unusually protruding abdomen, which prompted a thorough search.
“Strapped to her abdomen was a pink-coloured calabash ingeniously crafted to simulate a baby bump and conceal 3,200 capsules of tramadol,” the statement reads.
“The opioids were intended for sale in Cotonou before further distribution.”
On the same day in Kano, operatives also 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,” the statement reads.
“Placed under medical observation, he later excreted 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49 kilograms.”
Babafemi said investigations revealed that Gohouri arrived in Lagos from Milan on January 17, 2026, moved between Lagos and Enugu for three weeks, before heading to Kano, where he swallowed the cocaine in a hotel room. He reportedly stood to earn €5,000 for successfully delivering the drugs to Milan.
The suspect, who claims both Ivorian and Nigerian heritage, reportedly applied for asylum in Italy in 2013 and currently holds a resident permit valid until May 25. He also possesses a Nigerian national identification number under the name Anunwa Onyinye Michael.
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The statement further revealed that NDLEA intensified its operations across Lagos, Edo, Bauchi, Ondo, Delta, and Kogi states, leading to several arrests, including that of a 68-year-old grandmother linked to drug distribution networks.
In Lagos, operatives arrested Kolapo Raji, the Chief Executive Officer of Trans Fortress Global Resources, a real estate development company.
Babafemi said Raji had been under NDLEA surveillance since 2025 following credible intelligence.
“The 57-year-old drug kingpin was arrested at his Safe Court Apartment residence in Ikate, Lekki Lagos on Thursday 12th February 2026 after sustained surveillance soon after his return from the United Kingdom,” the statement added.
“A search of his residence led to the recovery of four large bags containing parcels of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis with a total weight of 89.20kg.
“Also recovered from him at the point of his arrest was a 2024 model Toyota Hilux.
“In his statement, he claimed he got involved in the illicit drug trade after financing some consignments for his overseas associate.”
Raji reportedly admitted that the huge profits he made from previous deals, running into hundreds of millions of naira, encouraged him to establish his own drug distribution network.
Babafemi reaffirmed the agency’s determination to dismantle both local and international drug syndicates exploiting Nigeria’s borders and airports as trafficking routes.