A 34-year-old Ugandan woman, Farida Nansubuga, who travelled to Nigeria with members of her church for a spiritual crusade in Lagos, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with 87 wraps of cocaine concealed around her private part.
Nansubuga was intercepted on November 3, 2026, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while attempting to board a flight to Uganda.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that the cocaine, weighing 1.15kg, was strapped around her pelvic region and secured beneath two layers of underwear.
According to the agency, the suspect arrived in Nigeria on October 29 with members of her church for a prayer session at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos.
However, while other members of her delegation returned to Uganda, she allegedly stayed behind to collect the illicit consignment on behalf of a friend identified as Joy.
She reportedly told investigators that a contact arranged by Joy delivered the drugs to her at a hotel and instructed her on how to conceal them. She expected to receive at least $1,000 upon successful delivery.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA recorded several other major seizures across the country.
At the Lagos airport, operatives intercepted 750,000 tablets of Tapentadol, weighing 526kg and valued at N900 million, concealed in a consignment from India falsely declared as paracetamol.
The agency also seized 16.15kg of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, hidden inside wooden sofas imported from the United States, leading to the arrest of two suspects.
Another operation uncovered 28.65kg of chemicals used in producing synthetic cannabis, alongside 1.2kg of cannabis, imported from the United Kingdom.
At courier facilities in Lagos, officers intercepted cannabis and tramadol shipments destined for the UK and Australia, including 600 tramadol tablets concealed inside female headwear.
In Ondo State, operatives recovered 1,818kg of cannabis and destroyed a one-hectare plantation, while additional arrests and seizures were recorded in Ekiti, Edo, Taraba, Enugu and Delta states.
Commending the officers involved, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the Ugandan woman’s arrest as a disturbing reminder that drug cartels exploit religious travel to recruit couriers.
He urged personnel nationwide to intensify efforts against drug trafficking and abuse.
