The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 34-year-old Ugandan woman, identified as Farida Nansubuga, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 1.15 kilogrammes of cocaine out of Nigeria.
The suspect was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, while preparing to board a flight to Uganda.
According to the NDLEA, 87 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.15 kilogrammes were recovered from her pelvic region, where they had been strapped beneath two layers of underwear.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrest in a statement on Sunday, November 8.
Babafemi said the suspect arrived in Nigeria on October 29 with members of her church for a prayer session at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), located in the Ikotun-Egbe area of Lagos.
However, while other members of the delegation returned to Uganda after the religious programme, Nansubuga reportedly stayed behind to collect a drug consignment on behalf of a friend identified only as Joy, who lives in Uganda.
The NDLEA said the suspect was intercepted during a joint passenger screening exercise involving its operatives and aviation security personnel at Terminal 2 of the airport.
A preliminary body search raised suspicion of a substance concealed around her pelvic region, prompting officers to take her to a designated private search room.
The subsequent search led to the discovery of the 87 wraps of cocaine concealed beneath her clothing.
During preliminary interrogation, Nansubuga reportedly told investigators that her friend, Joy, had linked her with a contact in Nigeria, who arranged a vehicle to convey her to a hotel on the morning of her scheduled departure.
She alleged that an unidentified man handed over the cocaine to her at the hotel and instructed her to conceal the consignment beneath her clothing to evade airport security.
Although no definite payment was agreed upon, the suspect reportedly said she expected to receive at least $1,000 after successfully delivering the drugs in Uganda.
The NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the incident as another example of how international drug trafficking networks exploit religious activities and travel arrangements to recruit couriers.
He warned that drug cartels were increasingly exploiting unsuspecting individuals and religious travel to facilitate their operations.
