By Oluwakemi Kindness
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a fugitive linked to a dismantled international drug trafficking syndicate, recovering 23.5 kilograms of cocaine valued at over N5 billion from a residential apartment in Lagos.
The suspect, Shodunke Yetunde Simbiat, 39, was arrested at her home on Onasanya Street, Surulere, following months of intelligence-led tracking. She had been on the run since May 2024, after the arrest of the cartel’s alleged leaders, a husband-and-wife team, Bolanle Lookman Dauda and Olayinka Toheebat Dauda.
According to the NDLEA, a search of the apartment led to the discovery of the cocaine concealed in a black suitcase kept inside a children’s room. The agency said the suspect admitted ownership of the drugs.
In a statement issued on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi described the arrest as a significant breakthrough in the agency’s ongoing effort to dismantle trans-border drug trafficking networks.
“The arrest is part of our resolve to track down and dismantle every member of this drug trafficking organisation,” the agency said.
The syndicate was initially uncovered on May 25, 2024, when NDLEA operatives intercepted the alleged kingpins along the Lagos–Badagry Expressway as they attempted to cross into Ghana.
At the time, officers recovered 47.5 kilograms of cocaine packed in 42 blocks.
A follow-up raid on the couple’s residence in Agbara, Ogun State, led to the seizure of an additional 10 kilograms of cocaine, bringing the total recovered from the syndicate leaders to 57.5 kilograms.
In a related operation, NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, on December 18, intercepted a 36-year-old businessman, Nwanwene Robinson Destiny, who was attempting to travel to Milan, Italy, with 1,020 pills of tramadol and tapentadol concealed in his luggage.
The suspect reportedly told investigators he was promised €200 for successfully delivering the opioids.
Beyond Lagos, the agency said coordinated operations in Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Kogi and Kaduna states led to multiple arrests and the seizure of illicit drugs, including over 600 kilograms of cannabis, thousands of tramadol tablets and quantities of pentazocine injections.
Commending officers involved in the operations, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), urged sustained vigilance.
“Our officers must remain extra vigilant, especially during the festive season, and continue to uphold the highest standards of professionalism in all drug supply and demand reduction efforts,” Marwa said.
