By Elizabeth Godwin
Nigeria’s anti-narcotics agency has arrested a 50-year-old widow for attempting to smuggle cocaine disguised as a pregnancy, in one of several nationwide operations that yielded more than 75,000 kilograms of illicit drugs.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said the suspect, Mrs. Ifeoma Henrietta Ezewuike, a Lagos-based fashion designer, was apprehended on Friday at a motor park in Lagos while preparing to board a vehicle to Abuja.
According to officials, 1.3 kilograms of cocaine were strapped to her stomach to mimic pregnancy. A subsequent raid on her residence in Ago Palace, Lagos, uncovered an additional 200 grams of cutting agents.
Investigators said Ezewuike admitted to inheriting the drug trade from her late husband, who she claimed initiated her into the business.
In another Lagos operation, NDLEA operatives intercepted 90 parcels of “Loud,” a high-grade strain of cannabis, concealed inside cartons of kitchen sinks imported from the United States. The seizure, weighing 48.6 kilograms, was made at a courier company.
The agency also reported multiple seizures across other states. In Adamawa, 354,480 tramadol pills were recovered from the home of a fleeing dealer. In Kano, five suspects were arrested with more than 450,000 opioid pills, including bottles of codeine syrup.
Further north, agents in Kogi intercepted a trafficker at Idah waterside with tramadol and injectable opioids, while along the Zaria-Kano highway, another suspect was caught with 7,000 capsules of tramadol.
In Kwara State, NDLEA operatives seized 2.2 tonnes of skunk hidden in three trucks. Joint operations in Delta and Ondo States led to the destruction of over 50 tonnes of cannabis plantations, while Edo and Taraba also recorded significant busts targeting large-scale cultivation and trafficking networks.
The NDLEA said the crackdown was complemented by advocacy activities in schools, traditional palaces, and communities under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative.
Chairman of the agency, retired Brigadier General Buba Marwa, praised officers for their “courage and professionalism” in executing the coordinated raids. He urged them to sustain their momentum in enforcement while intensifying preventive campaigns.
“Our operatives have demonstrated resilience and patriotism. These seizures not only disrupt supply chains but also send a strong message to drug barons that Nigeria will not tolerate their deadly trade. We must balance enforcement with public education to save the younger generation,” Marwa said.
The agency assured that all suspects arrested in the latest operations would face prosecution, while its nationwide surveillance and clampdown on drug cartels would be intensified.
