The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 50-year-old widow and fashion designer, Ifeoma Henrietta Ezewuike, for attempting to traffic 1.3 kilograms of cocaine while pretending to be pregnant in a bid to avoid detection.

Ezewuike, a mother of one and owner of Golden Star Creation, a fashion business located on Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos, was apprehended last Friday at a bus terminal in Jibowu, Yaba. She was reportedly en route to deliver the drug consignment to clients in Abuja.

According to a statement by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, a follow-up search at her residence led to the discovery of 200 grams of a cutting agent used in processing cocaine.

In her confession, Ezewuike stated that she inherited the illicit business from her late husband, who passed away two years ago, though she has operated her fashion line for two decades.

In a separate operation, NDLEA agents at a Lagos-based courier service on August 19 intercepted 90 parcels of Loud, a cannabis strain weighing 48.6kg, concealed in three cartons of kitchen sinks. The shipment had been imported from the United States.

In Adamawa State, NDLEA officers raided the home of a notorious trafficker, Idris Garba, who managed to flee by jumping over a fence. However, an accomplice, Boniface Nnaji, was caught attempting to escape. Seized from the property were a black Toyota Tundra with plate number FST-885-CZ, allegedly driven by Nnaji to deliver 354,480 tramadol pills of varying strengths, and a Toyota Yaris marked DSA 776 AA.

Elsewhere, at Idah waterside, 5,000 capsules of tramadol, 400 vials of pentazocine injection, and 200 vials of diazepam were confiscated from Neche Okonkwo, who had ferried the opioids across River Niger from Onitsha to Lokoja on August 21.

In Kano, operatives arrested Buhari Ibrahim and Mansur Musa at Zangon Dakata, Ungogo, on August 19 with 5,850 pregabalin capsules. The same day, 452,070 opioid pills were discovered in the residence of a fugitive suspect, Rabilu Mukhtar, in Rangaza, Ungogo LGA. Another suspect, Buhari Idris, was caught with 140 litres of codeine syrup at Tashan Rami, Kano.

Also, 7,000 tramadol capsules were seized from Adamu Yusuf along the Zaria–Kano Road at Kwanar Dangora on Saturday. In Kwara State, three operations led to the interception of 2,289.49kg of skunk.

Of that, 1,232.86kg was found in a Mitsubishi Canter truck with registration ZUR 66 XT on August 20 in Ajase-Ipo, and one suspect, Kabiru Abdullahi, was arrested. Another 328.42kg consignment was seized from Paul Olaniran, who was driving a Mercedes-Benz truck marked LSD 659 YE at the same location. On August 21, another 728.21kg shipment was intercepted at Ajase-Ipo Junction, Ifelodun LGA, in a Mitsubishi Canter with registration GAD 287 XA. Two suspects, Abubakar Zaki and Yau Babangida, were taken into custody.

In Ekiti State, Awe Sunday and Ayodele Adedayo were apprehended at Alafia Quarters, Ikere-Ekiti, in connection with a 96kg skunk seizure.

In Taraba State, a joint operation with Civil Defence Corps personnel led to the destruction of 7,500kg of skunk planted across three hectares at Dadin Kowa village, Bali LGA, on August 20. Additionally, 901kg of skunk was discovered in a warehouse in Uzebba, Owan West LGA, Edo State, resulting in the arrest of a 54-year-old woman, Fodo Stella Sunday, on August 19.

Another major operation in Edo saw the destruction of 14,233.37kg of skunk across four farms measuring 5.69 hectares in Ebule forest, Owan West LGA, on August 20.

In Delta State, operatives supported by the military destroyed 25,500kg of skunk on four farms totaling 10.2 hectares in Emu-Obiogu community, Ndokwa West LGA, on August 21. Similarly, in Ondo State, 25,025kg was destroyed across three plantations covering 10.01 hectares at Asolo camp in the Uso area.

In the Federal Capital Territory, two dispatch riders were arrested during a stop-and-search operation on August 21 in Jabi. Garba Sule was caught with 300mg of pentazocine injection, while Isaac Augustine was found with 8.64g of skunk, pre-packed for delivery.

Chairman and Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers across the various commands for their vigilance and commitment. He urged them to continue sustaining the agency’s balanced approach to combating drug-related crimes.