Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 50-year-old widow and mother of one for allegedly attempting to traffic 1.3 kilograms of cocaine, using a fake pregnancy as a way to escape scrutiny and detection.
The agency said the suspect, identified as Mrs. Ifeoma Ezewuike, and said to be the proprietress of Golden Star Creation, a fashion outfit in Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos, was arrested at a bus terminal in the Jibowu, Yaba, area of the state on Friday, August 22, 2025, while attempting to move the cocaine consignment to customers in Abuja.
It disclosed that the follow-up operation at her house in the Ago Palace area led to the recovery of 200 grams of cutting agent used in the production of a strain of cocaine.
“In her statement, Ezewuike claimed she inherited the criminal trade from her husband, who died two years ago, while she has been in the fashion business for 20 years,” NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement on Sunday.
Babfemi said that not less than 90 parcels of ‘loud,’ a strain of cannabis weighing 48.6kg, imported from the United States of America and concealed in three cartons of kitchen sink, were intercepted at a courier company in Lagos on Tuesday, August 19, by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation (DOGI).
Meanwhile, the agency said its operatives in Adamawa State, while acting on credible intelligence on Friday, August 22, raided the home of a notorious drug dealer, one Idris Garba, who scaled the fence to escape arrest.
It also said that one of his associates, one Boniface Nnaji, aged 55, who attempted the same, was caught in the act at Rumde Baru area of Yola South.
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“Recovered from the premises include a black Toyota Thundra jeep marked FST- 885-CZ driven to Yola by Nnaji to supply Garba 354,480 pills of tramadol 225mg, 250mg, and others, as well as a Toyota Yaris car with registration number DSA 776 AA.
“A total of 5,000 capsules of tramadol, 400 ampoules of pentazocine injection, and 200 ampoules of diazepam injection were seized from a suspect Neche Okonkwo at the Idah waterside after crossing the River Niger from Onitsha, Anambra state to Lokoja, Kogi State, with the opioids on Wednesday, August 20,” it said in the statement.
In Taraba, NDLEA operatives in conjunction with Nigeria Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel on Wednesday, August 20, destroyed 7,500kg of skunk on three hectares of farmland at Dadin Kowa village, in Bali, while 901kg of the same substance was recovered from a warehouse at Uzebba in Owan West, Edo State.
The agency said a 54-year-old female suspect, one Fodo Stella Sunday, was arrested during the operation.
The statement added, “In other operations in Edo State, a total of 14,233.37 kilograms of skunk were destroyed on four plantations that measured 5.69375 hectares at Ebule forest, Owan West Local Government Area, on Wednesday, August 20.
“In Delta state, NDLEA operatives supported by the military destroyed a total of 25,500kg skunk on four plantations measuring 10.2 hectares in Emu-Obiogu community, Ndokwa West, on Thursday, August 21, while in Ondo State, 25,025kg of same psychoactive substance was destroyed on three farms with a combined measurement of 10.01 hectares at Asolo camp, Uso area of the state.”