December 21, (THEWILL) — Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended the female leader of a notorious cocaine trafficking syndicate after 20 months on the run.
The arrest comes as the agency intensified a nationwide crackdown, resulting in the seizure of illicit drugs valued at over N5 billion.
In a statement released on Sunday, the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, identified the suspect as Shodunke Yetunde Simbiat.
She was arrested on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at her residence on Onasanya Street, Surulere, Lagos, following months of intelligence-led surveillance.
Shodunke had been in hiding since May 2024, following the arrest of the syndicate’s kingpins, Bolanle Lookman Dauda and his wife, Olayinka Toheebat Dauda.
A thorough search of her home led to the discovery of 23.50 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a black suitcase hidden in her children’s room. The Class A drug, which Shodunke admitted to owning, is estimated to have a street value of over N5 billion.
THEWILL reports that this arrest marks the latest breakthrough in dismantling a trans-border drug trafficking organisation.
The syndicate was first hit in May 2024 when NDLEA operatives intercepted the Daudas along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway while they were attempting to smuggle 47.5 kilograms of cocaine into Ghana. A subsequent raid on their Agbara residence in Ogun State yielded an additional 10 kilograms of the substance.
The crackdown extended to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, where a 36-year-old businessman, Nwanwene Robinson Destiny, was intercepted on Thursday, December 18. The suspect was attempting to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan, Italy, with 1,020 pills of tramadol and tapentadol concealed in his luggage. He reportedly confessed that he was to be paid €200 for the delivery. On the same day at the Seme border, NDLEA officers arrested a 48-year-old Beninese national, Leocardi Josu, with 3,400 tablets of tramadol as he attempted to cross into Nigeria.
The agency’s offensive continued across several states. In Kogi, 30-year-old Abdullahi Adamu was arrested along the Okene–Lokoja highway with 28.4 kilograms of skunk and Colorado.
In Oyo State, operatives recovered 125,000 capsules of tramadol and 1,800 ampoules of pentazocine from a commercial bus on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Two other suspects, Ogunlade Kazeem and Adeleke Ismail, were caught at the Challenge Motor Park in Ibadan with 185.4 kilograms of skunk.
In Osun State, a raid on the Owena/Ijesha forest led to the seizure of 405 kilograms of cannabis and the arrest of 45-year-old Charles James.
In Kaduna, Jamilu Zakari was intercepted at a tollgate with 14,960 pills of tramadol hidden in sacks of kolanuts destined for Gusau, Zamfara State.
Alongside these operations, the NDLEA sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, holding sensitisation lectures in Anambra, Katsina, and Ekiti States to discourage drug use among the youth and transport workers.
Commending the various commands for their professionalism, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), urged personnel to remain extra vigilant during the festive season.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to eliminating drug trafficking and abuse across the federation.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
