The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says operatives arrested one Shodunke Yetunde Simbiat, a fugitive member of a cocaine trafficking syndicate.
This comes nearly 20 months after the cartel was dismantled in Lagos and Ogun states.
According to a statement by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, the 39-year-old alleged stash keeper for the trans-border drug trafficking organisation, was arrested on December 9, 2025, at her home on Onasanya Street, Surulere, Lagos, following sustained intelligence gathering and surveillance.
“Determined to rein in every member of the syndicate, NDLEA operatives continued with follow-up intelligence and surveillance on the trans-border drug trafficking organisation until a 39-year-old female stash keeper, Shodunke Yetunde Simbiat, was identified as a key member,” the statement reads.
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During a search of her residence, NDLEA officers uncovered cocaine hidden inside a suitcase in her children’s room.
“A thorough search of her home led to the discovery of blocks of cocaine weighing 23.50 kilograms concealed in a black suitcase recovered from her children’s room,” the agency said.
It added that the suspect “admitted ownership of the drug consignment worth over N5 billion in street value”.
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Similarly, NDLEA officers at the terminal II departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, intercepted a 36-year-old businessman, Nwanwene Robinson Destiny on December 18, while he was attempting to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan, Italy.
He was found with 1,020 pills of tramadol 225mg and tapentadol 200mg concealed in his luggage.
The suspect reportedly told investigators that “the successful trafficking of the opioids to Italy would have fetched him two hundred euros (€200) from the person he was to deliver them to”.
Elsewhere, at the Seme border area of Badagry, Lagos, NDLEA officers arrested Leocardi Josu, a 48-year-old Beninoise national, with 3,400 tablets of tramadol 225mg on December 18.
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Along the Okene-Lokoja highway in Kogi state, a 30-year-old suspect, Abdullahi Adamu, was arrested on December 19, with 28.4 kilogrammes of skunk and Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis.
In Oyo state, operatives recovered 125,000 capsules of tramadol and 1,800 ampoules of pentazocine injection from a Toyota Hiace bus along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on December 19.
Two suspects, Ogunlade Kazeem, and Adeleke Ismail, were also arrested at Challenge Motor Park, Ibadan, with 185.4 kilogrammes of skunk on December 17.
Commenting on the operations, Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman, praised the officers involved.
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He also charged personnel nationwide to “remain extra vigilant during the festive season and ensure that the highest standard of professionalism is maintained in all their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities all through the period and beyond”.
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