Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a Kano-based businesswoman who attempted to smuggle a large quantity of opioids across the Seme land border using a fake pregnancy.
The suspect, 35-year-old Rabi Muhammad, was arrested on Monday, 16 February 2026, at the departure tarmac of the Seme land border while attempting to cross into Cotonou, Benin Republic, with a visibly protruding stomach.
A thorough body search by NDLEA officers revealed that the pregnancy was fake. Her baby bump had been artificially constructed using a pink-coloured calabash, which was strapped to her abdomen to conceal 3,200 capsules of tramadol.
Investigations showed that the concealed drugs were intended for sale in Cotonou, marking yet another attempt by traffickers to exploit disguise tactics to evade detection at Nigeria’s borders.
Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie
