ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a female drug suspect after uncovering 23.50 kilograms of cocaine valued at over N5 billion concealed inside a children’s room in Lagos, following a months-long intelligence operation.
The suspect, identified as Shodunke Yetunde Simbiat, was arrested after going underground for nearly 20 months, as NDLEA intensified efforts to dismantle a trans-border drug trafficking syndicate operating across Lagos and Ogun states.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrest in a statement on Sunday, linking Simbiat to a cartel previously led by Bolanle Lookman Dauda and Olayinka Toheebat Dauda.
According to the agency, the syndicate was initially smashed in May 2024 when its leaders were intercepted while attempting to move cocaine across the Lagos-Badagry expressway.
“The kingpin Lookman and his queen Toheebat were arrested on Saturday, 25th May 2024, by operatives of a special operations unit of NDLEA at Ibiye, along Lagos-Badagry expressway, while attempting to cross the land border to deliver the consignment in Ghana,” the statement read.
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“At the point of their arrest, 42 blocks of cocaine weighing 47.5 kilograms were found on them. A swift follow-up operation in their residence at Plot 24/25 OPIC extension, Petedo road, Agbara, Ogun state, led to the recovery of an additional eight blocks of the same drug weighing 10kg, bringing the total weight of the consignment seized from the couple to 57.5 kilograms.
“Determined to rein in every member of the syndicate, the 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 of the DTO. As a result, she was trailed to her 31 Onasanya street, Surulere, Lagos residence on Tuesday, 9th December 2025.
“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. She admitted ownership of the drug consignment worth over N5billion in street value.”
In a related operation, NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, intercepted a 36-year-old businessman, Nwanwene Robinson Destiny, at Terminal II departure hall on Thursday, 18th December.
The agency said Destiny was arrested while attempting to board a Royal Air-Maroc flight to Milan, Italy, with 1,020 pills of tramadol 225mg and tapentadol 200mg concealed in his luggage.
The suspect reportedly claimed the drugs would have earned him €200.00 upon successful delivery in Italy.
Meanwhile, NDLEA also arrested a 48-year-old Beninoise national, Leocardi Josu, at the Seme border on the same day, with 3,400 tablets of tramadol 225mg, while another suspect, Abdullahi Adamu, 30, was intercepted along the Okene-Lokoja highway with 28.400kg of skunk and Colorado, a synthetic cannabis, on Friday, 19th December.