Adekoya Adebukonla Mary, a 43-year-old female make-up artist, was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday, June 16, 2025, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, for attempting to smuggle 2.20 kilograms of cocaine concealed within the walls of her suitcase.
Adekoya claimed she was travelling to India for fibroid surgery, but further investigation revealed this was a cover story. She admitted that she embarked on the trip for financial gain, using the medical pretext to conceal her true intentions. The NDLEA placed her under surveillance based on credible intelligence and allowed her to check in her luggage before arresting her at the boarding gate of her Qatar Airways flight to India via Doha.
Further inquiries linked her to a drug baron, Akeem Ayinde Adekanbi, who is currently at large. Adekanbi owns Rockford Hotel in Sango, Ogun State, and resides in Igbe Laara, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos State. He is believed to have recruited and funded Adekoya for the drug trafficking operation.
The NDLEA continues to intensify its crackdown on drug trafficking with other recent seizures including cannabis and cocaine concealed in shipments destined for Bahrain and Australia, as well as arrests across several states involving large quantities of illicit drugs.
NDLEA Chairman Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the vigilance of officers at MMIA and other commands nationwide for their role in combating drug trafficking and abuse.
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