Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 34-year-old Ugandan woman, Farida Nansubuga, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, after she was caught with 87 wraps of cocaine concealed in her private part.
Nansubuga arrived in Nigeria on 29th October 2026 with members of her church for a prayer session at The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) in Ikotun Egbe, Lagos, but stayed behind after her delegation returned to Uganda to smuggle the drugs.
According to a statement issued by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, when it was time to go back to Uganda after the prayers, 34-year-old Ugandan, Ms. Farida Nansubuga chose a different mission.
While the rest of her church delegation flew back to Uganda after a prayer session at The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) in Ikotun Egbe, Lagos, she stayed behind—not to pray more, but to pick up a consignment of cocaine which she hid in her private part in a desperate bid to smuggle it into her country.
Her plan crashed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, 3rd November 2026.
NDLEA operatives intercepted her at the screening point of Terminal 2 during a joint passenger screening exercise with aviation security personnel.
She was due to board a Ugandan airline flight home.A body search pointed to a substance concealed around her pelvic region. She was taken to a designated private search room for a secondary search.
That search led to the recovery of 87 wraps of cocaine with a gross weight of 1.150 kilograms, strapped around her pelvic region and held in place beneath two layers of underwear.
“I Came For Prayer, I Stayed For Cocaine”
During preliminary interview, Nansubuga said she arrived in Nigeria on 29th October 2026 with members of her church for a prayer session at SCOAN.
She claimed after the session, the other members returned to Uganda while she stayed back to collect the illicit consignment on behalf of a friend, simply identified as Joy, who resides in Uganda.
According to her, Joy directed her to a contact in Nigeria who arranged a vehicle to bring her to a hotel on the morning of her scheduled departure.
It was there, she said, the man handed her the drug and instructed her to hide it beneath her clothing to beat security screening at the airport.
She claimed no definite fee was agreed for the trip, but that she expected to be paid not less than US$1,000 on successful delivery.
NDLEA: Cartels Exploiting Faith
Reacting to the arrest, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), said the case is a sad reminder that drug cartels will stop at nothing, including exploiting faith and religious travel, to recruit couriers for their deadly trade.
He urged officers across all commands to sustain the tempo of their supply and demand reduction efforts.
Other Major Seizures Same Week
The Ugandan woman’s arrest was only one of several major interceptions by NDLEA in the past week:Lagos Airport — N900m Opioids.
On Friday 6th November, operatives uncovered 750,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg, weighing 526kg with a street value of N900 million, in a consignment from India declared as Paracetamol Tablets 500mg.
The consignment, made up of eleven cartons packed in two wooden structures, arrived aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Ahmedabad, India.
The opioid pills were found in ten of the eleven cartons. Only the last carton contained paracetamol as cover.
Lagos Airport — Loud In Sofas
On Wednesday 4th November, operatives intercepted 32 parcels of Loud, weighing 16.15kg, concealed inside two wooden sofas in a consolidated cargo from Houston, Texas, aboard a Turkish Airlines flight.
Freight agent Ibrahim Abdulwaheed Adewale was arrested.
In a follow-up on Friday 6th November, 34-year-old caterer from Ibadan, Adeoye Sarafa Ojo, who came to collect the package, was arrested.
He claimed he was sent by a friend, Taiwo Anuoluwapo Olusegun.
Synthetic Cannabis Chemicals From UK
A syndicate importing chemicals used in producing Colorado, a synthetic cannabis, from the UK was busted after nine parcels hidden in two cartons of snacks tagged “Michael Tea Guy” arrived aboard an Air Peace flight from the UK on 23rd October.
Two parcels contained 1.20kg of cannabis, while forensic analysis confirmed the other seven were chemicals for synthetic cannabis.
Freight agent Afolabi Abiodun Wale, 51, was arrested. A sting operation between 26th and 28th October led to the arrest of Okwuite Benjamin Ojone, 51, when he took delivery of four cartons. Total seizure: 1.20kg of cannabis and 28.65kg of synthetic cannabis chemicals.
Courier Interceptions
On Tuesday 3rd November, operatives intercepted 46 blocks of cannabis weighing 22.2kg packed in two cartons going to the UK.
Earlier, on 30th October, they intercepted 296 tablets of Swinol going to Australia, as well as three shipments of tramadol going to the UK: 20 capsules from Benin City and 96 capsules from Sapele, both concealed in vitamin C containers, and 600 tablets of Tramadol 225mg from Asaba hidden in female head wears.
Apapa
On Friday 6th November, 32-year-old Abubakar Ali was arrested at Marine Beach, Apapa, where drugs were recovered from a small store he built inside the sitting room of his apartment. Items include 1.06kg of Tramadol 250mg; 1.27kg of Tramadol 225mg; 400g of pregabalin; 355g of diazepam; 200ml of codeine and 6.07kg of cannabis.
Ondo
On Friday 6th November, officers raided Odofin Road, Uso, recovering 148 bags of cannabis weighing 1,818kg. Same day, they raided a cannabis farm in Board Forest, destroyed one hectare of plantation, recovered 242kg and arrested 36-year-old Itoro Linus Akpan.Ekiti
53-year-old Agbo Paul Peter was arrested at Osin Forest, Osin Ekiti, on Thursday 5th November with 216kg of cannabis and cannabis seeds.
Edo
On Friday 6th November, officers intercepted a Golf saloon car loaded with nineteen bags of cannabis weighing 201kg along Auchi–Ibillo road, Akoko Edo LGA, arresting driver Abdulmumid Isah, 39, and passenger Danako Godwin, 25.
Officers also raided a notorious drug joint on Ihama Road, GRA, Benin City, arresting Emmanuel Sunday, 25; Samuel Bala, 31; and Loveth Momodu, 20, with Colorado, Loud and cannabis.
Taraba
At the NDLEA checkpoint in Lankaviri, Yorro LGA, three suspects were arrested with 283 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 226.255kg within two days. Ibrahim Abdullahi, 45, was arrested with 156 blocks weighing 149.275 kg; Kabiru Usman, 25, with 80 blocks weighing 40.07 kg; and Babangida Babayo, 32, with 47 blocks weighing 36.91kg on 6th November.
Enugu
57-year-old Celestine Uzochukwu Ejiakor was arrested on Tuesday 3rd November at Eke Obinagu checkpoint with 44 blocks of cannabis weighing 22.5kg.
At Ugwuoba checkpoint, Godwin Shaapera, 40, was arrested with 24,000 capsules of Tramadol weighing 13.4kg and 697g of ketamine.
Delta
Edugua Othuke, 30, was arrested at Ozoro, Isoko North, with 10.54kg skunk, 9.4kg cannabis seeds and 4.3g of methamphetamine on 31st October, while Akpofure Tobore, 34, was nabbed with skunk, tramadol, rohypnol and laughing gas on 4th November at Upper Agbarho, Ughelli.
Meanwhile, NDLEA Commands across the country continued War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities, including lectures at St. Andrew Basic School, Oyo town; Government Technical College, Abakaliki; Sa’ad College, Kano; and Inland Girls Secondary School, Onitsha, while Zone 1 Command paid an advocacy visit to the Emir of Bauchi, HRH Alhaji Rilwanu Sulaiman Adamu.
Marwa commended officers of the MMIA, Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Edo, Delta, Taraba and Enugu Commands for the seizures and arrests.
Clarifications On NDLEA, Uganda, SCOAN, Farida Nansubuga
Q: Who is Farida Nansubuga?
A: Farida Nansubuga is a 34-year-old Ugandan woman arrested by NDLEA at Lagos airport on 3rd November 2026 for attempting to smuggle cocaine to Uganda.
Q: How many wraps of cocaine did NDLEA recover from her?
A: NDLEA recovered 87 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.150 kilograms, strapped around her pelvic region beneath two layers of underwear.
Q: Why was Farida Nansubuga in Nigeria?
A: She arrived in Nigeria on 29th October 2026 with members of her church for a prayer session at The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) in Ikotun Egbe, Lagos. Her delegation returned to Uganda while she stayed behind to collect the drugs.
Q: How much was she to be paid for smuggling cocaine?
A: She told NDLEA she expected to be paid not less than US$1,000 on successful delivery of the cocaine to Uganda, on behalf of a friend identified as Joy.
Q: Where was she arrested?
A: She was intercepted at the screening point of Terminal 2, Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, during a joint passenger screening exercise with aviation security personnel, before boarding a Ugandan airline flight.
Q: What did NDLEA Chairman Marwa say about the case?
A: Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) said the case is a sad reminder that drug cartels will stop at nothing, including exploiting faith and religious travel, to recruit couriers.
