NDLEA nabs suspects for concealing cocaine, opioids in fake pregnancy at Seme border

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted two suspected drug traffickers who allegedly attempted to smuggle cocaine and opioids by concealing the substances on their bodies, including inside a fabricated pregnancy.

One of the suspects, identified as 35-year-old Kano-based businesswoman, Rabi Muhammad, was arrested at the Seme border on Monday, February 16, 2026, while attempting to travel to Cotonou in the Benin Republic.

According to the agency, NDLEA officers became suspicious after observing what appeared to be an unusually large stomach during routine checks at the departure area of the border post. A subsequent search, however, revealed that the suspect was not pregnant.

READ ALSO: NDLEA busts drug ring, recovers 236 cocaine wraps from three suspects at Abuja, Kano Airports

The agency disclosed that the “pregnancy” was staged, as the suspect had allegedly strapped a pink-coloured calabash to her stomach to simulate a baby bump in a bid to evade detection.

A video shared on Facebook by Sadiq Muhammad, spokesperson of the NDLEA Seme Command, showed officers conducting a search and removing the fake pregnancy apparatus.

Inside the container, officials reportedly discovered 3,200 capsules of tramadol, an opioid commonly abused and tightly regulated due to its addictive properties.

The NDLEA said the suspect was allegedly transporting the capsules to Cotonou for sale.

The arrest, the agency noted, forms part of its sustained crackdown on drug trafficking networks operating through Nigeria’s land borders and airports.

Authorities reiterated their commitment to intensifying surveillance and intelligence-led operations to dismantle drug smuggling syndicates and curb the flow of illicit substances within and outside the country.

Investigations into the case are ongoing, while the agency indicated that further updates would be provided as the matter progresses.