Widow Arrested with Cocaine Disguised as Pregnancy — NDLEA

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

Ezewuike, the proprietor of Golden Star Creation in the Okota area of Lagos, was intercepted at a bus terminal in Jibowu, Yaba, on Friday, August 22, 2025, while on her way to deliver the drug consignment to clients in Abuja.

In a statement, the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said a follow-up search at her residence in Ago Palace Way, Okota, uncovered 200 grams of a cutting agent used in processing cocaine.

“A 50-year-old widow and fashion designer, Mrs. Ifeoma Henrietta Ezewuike, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over an attempt to traffic 1.3 kilograms of cocaine, using fake pregnancy as a façade to escape scrutiny and detection.

“The widow who is a mother of one and proprietress of Golden Star Creation, a fashion outfit in Ago palace way, Okota, Lagos, was arrested at a bus terminal in Jibowu, Yaba area of the state on Friday, 22nd August 2025, while attempting to move the cocaine consignment to customers in Abuja.

“A follow-up operation at her house in the Ago palace area led to the recovery of 200 grams of cutting agent used in the production of a strain of cocaine. In her statement, Ezewuike claimed she inherited the criminal trade from her husband, who died two years ago, while she has been in the fashion business for 20 years,” the statement partly read.

The NDLEA further announced that in another operation, officers intercepted 90 parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 48.6kg, concealed in three cartons of kitchen sinks imported from the United States.

“Not less than 90 parcels of Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 48.6kg, imported from the United States of America and concealed in three cartons of kitchen sink were intercepted at a courier company in Lagos on Tuesday, 19th August by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation,” Babafemi said.

In Adamawa State, operatives raided the home of notorious drug dealer Idris Garba on Friday, August 22. Garba escaped by scaling a fence, but his associate, 55-year-old Boniface Nnaji, was apprehended at Rumde Baru, Yola South.

“Recovered from the premises include a black Toyota Thundra jeep marked FST-885-CZ driven to Yola by Nnaji to supply Garba 354,480 pills of tramadol 225mg, 250mg and others as well as a Toyota Yaris car with registration number DSA 776 AA,” he added.

In Kano, Babafemi confirmed that Buhari Ibrahim, 25, and Mansur Musa, 24, were arrested at Zangon Ungogo with 5,850 capsules of pregabaline on August 19. He also disclosed that 452,070 opioid pills were recovered from the home of another suspect, Rabilu Mukhtar, who remains at large.

“Fewer than 7,000 capsules of tramadol were seized from Adamu Yusuf, 29, along Zaria-Kano road, Kwanar Dangora area of the state on Saturday, 23rd August,” Babafemi added.

In the Federal Capital Territory, two dispatch riders were arrested for distributing illicit drugs, while NDLEA teams also recorded major crackdowns across Taraba, Edo, Delta, Ondo, and Ekiti states, where large cannabis farms and warehouses were destroyed.