NDLEA Arrests Ugandan Woman Hiding 87 Wraps of Cocaine in Private Parts

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 34-year-old Ugandan woman, Farida Nansubuga, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 87 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.15 kilogrammes from Nigeria to Uganda.

The suspect was arrested on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, while preparing to board a flight to her home country.

According to the NDLEA, the cocaine was strapped around her pelvic region and concealed beneath two layers of underwear. The arrest followed a joint passenger screening operation involving NDLEA operatives and aviation security personnel at Terminal 2 of the airport.

The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrest in a statement on Sunday.

Babafemi said preliminary investigations indicated that Nansubuga arrived in Nigeria on October 29 with members of her church for a prayer session at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), in the Ikotun-Egbe area of Lagos.

He said the other members of her delegation had returned to Uganda after the religious gathering, while the suspect allegedly remained behind to collect the drug consignment on behalf of a friend identified as Joy, who lives in Uganda.

According to the agency, the suspect told investigators that her friend linked her with a contact in Nigeria, who arranged transportation to a hotel on the morning of her departure.

She allegedly said an unidentified man handed her the cocaine at the hotel and instructed her to conceal it beneath her clothing to evade airport security checks.

The NDLEA said the woman reportedly expected to receive at least $1,000 after successfully delivering the consignment in Uganda.

Chairman of the agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the arrest as a reminder that drug trafficking networks exploit travel and religious activities to recruit couriers.

He commended the officers involved in the operation and urged NDLEA personnel to sustain efforts to combat drug trafficking and substance abuse.

The agency said the arrest formed part of a series of drug interceptions and enforcement operations recorded across the country.