NDLEA intercepts Saudi-bound drug consignment hidden in keg at Kano airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a female passenger, identified as Fatimah Ahmad, after discovering cannabis concealed in a keg of palm oil she was carrying to Saudi Arabia.

The woman was intercepted on Friday, October 16, 2026, during the screening of passengers boarding an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, to Jeddah via Addis Ababa.

The agency said the 511.75 grammes of cannabis were discovered during the outward clearance of an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Jeddah via Addis Ababa.

In a statement issued on Sunday October 18, 2026, NDLEA said the passenger, identified as Fatimah Ahmad, told operatives that her cousin, Abubakar Yahaya, had given her the gallon.

Following her interception, NDLEA operatives arrested Yahaya at the airport car park.

The agency has repeated warned Nigerians against accepting parcels, luggage or other items from people for delivery, particularly when the contents have not been verified. Such arrangements can expose unsuspecting travellers to arrest and prosecution if illegal substances are discovered.

The interception was part of a series of anti-drug operations reported by the agency on Sunday, October 18.

In a separate operation at Apapa Port in Lagos, NDLEA operatives and other agencies uncovered 8,725 kilogrammes of powdered tramadol, with an estimated street value exceeding N6.98 billion.

The agency said the shipment has been declared as maize starch before laboratory examination identified the substance as tramadol hydrochloride powder.

The agency said its operatives had continued to intercept illicit drug shipments and arrest suspects in intelligence-led operations across the country.

NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended officers involved in the operations and urged them to sustain pressure on drug trafficking network.

The Chairman also called for continued implementation of the agency’s balanced approach to drug control, including enforcement and public sensitization.

-9News Nigeria.