By Our Reporter
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a wanted female drug kingpin, Shodunke Yetunde Simbiat, after recovering 23.5 kilograms of cocaine concealed in her children’s room at her residence in Surulere, Lagos.
The arrest came nearly 20 months after NDLEA dismantled a trans-border cocaine trafficking syndicate operating across Lagos and Ogun states. Two key members of the syndicate, Bolanle Lookman Dauda and Olayinka Toheebat Dauda, were arrested in May 2024 while attempting to smuggle cocaine across the Nigeria–Ghana border.
NDLEA spokesperson, Mr. Femi Babafemi, said the suspect had gone into hiding following the earlier arrests but was eventually tracked through sustained intelligence and surveillance operations.
Babafemi recalled that during the 2024 operation, NDLEA operatives intercepted the Dauda couple along the Lagos–Badagry Expressway with 47.5kg of cocaine. A follow-up search at their Ogun State residence led to the recovery of an additional 10kg, bringing the total seizure to 57.5kg.
He said further investigations identified Shodunke, 39, as a key stash keeper for the syndicate. She was arrested on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, and a search of her apartment led to the recovery of the cocaine concealed in a black suitcase. She admitted ownership of the drugs, estimated to be worth over ₦5 billion on the street.
In separate operations nationwide, NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, intercepted a 36-year-old businessman, Nwanwene Robinson Destiny, who was attempting to travel to Milan, Italy, with over 1,000 pills of tramadol and tapentadol concealed in his luggage.
At the Seme border, NDLEA operatives arrested a 48-year-old Beninoise woman, Leocardi Josu, with 3,400 tablets of tramadol while attempting to enter Nigeria.
In Kogi State, a suspect was arrested along the Okene–Lokoja highway with 28.4kg of skunk and synthetic cannabis. Similar seizures were recorded in Oyo and Osun states, where NDLEA operatives recovered large quantities of tramadol, pentazocine injections, and cannabis, leading to multiple arrests.
Another suspect was arrested along the Abuja–Kaduna highway with nearly 15,000 tramadol pills concealed in sacks of kolanuts en route to Zamfara State.
Babafemi added that NDLEA commands across the country also intensified drug abuse prevention campaigns in schools, religious centres, workplaces and communities as part of the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA).
Commending the operations, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised officers involved and urged personnel to remain vigilant and professional, especially during the festive season.