Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 43-year-old woman, Ihensekhien Miracle Obehi, for attempting to smuggle 2.523 kilograms of cocaine through the Port Harcourt International Airport in Rivers State.
The suspect, who was en route to Tehran, Iran via Qatar Airways, was apprehended on Sunday, May 5, 2025, during a routine screening of passengers. According to the NDLEA, intelligence-led profiling and thorough examination revealed that Obehi had concealed three wraps of cocaine in her private part, hidden two larger parcels in her handbag’s false compartments, and ingested 67 pellets of the substance.
Following her arrest, the agency placed her under close observation, leading to the excretion of the swallowed pellets over several days. In her confessional statement, Obehi admitted that she had been recruited by a drug trafficking syndicate based in Lagos and had initially planned to swallow 70 pellets but only managed to ingest 67, concealing the remaining three internally.
“The total weight of the illicit drug recovered from her was 2.523 kilograms,” NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi confirmed. “This arrest underscores the relentless efforts of our officers in intercepting drug couriers and dismantling trafficking networks operating through our airports.”
The NDLEA has since launched further investigations to trace the sponsors and collaborators of the syndicate, with the aim of bringing all those involved to justice.
This development adds to a growing list of drug trafficking arrests made by the agency in recent months, reinforcing its commitment to curbing the menace of narcotics smuggling in Nigeria.
Babafemi also reiterated the agency’s warning to potential drug mules, stressing that no route or concealment method is beyond the detection capacity of the NDLEA’s trained personnel and modern surveillance tools.
As of the time of filing this report, Obehi remains in custody and is expected to be arraigned in court after the completion of investigations.
