The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a Nigerian woman after discovering cannabis concealed in a keg of palm oil she was carrying to Saudi Arabia.
The woman, identified as Fatimah Ahmad, was intercepted on Friday, October 16, 2026, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano State during the outward clearance of an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, via Addis Ababa.
According to the NDLEA, a search of her luggage uncovered parcels of cannabis, popularly known as skunk, weighing 511.75 grammes concealed inside a gallon of palm oil.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed that Ahmad told operatives that her cousin, identified as Abubakar Yahaya, had given her the palm oil keg to deliver. Yahaya was subsequently arrested at the airport car park.
Following the incident, the NDLEA renewed its warning to Nigerians against accepting parcels, luggage or other items from people for delivery, regardless of their relationship with them.
Babafemi cautioned that unsuspecting travellers could face serious legal consequences if illicit substances were discovered in items they were transporting, particularly when travelling to countries with strict drug laws.
He urged Nigerians to prioritise their safety and freedom over the pressure to assist friends, relatives or acquaintances with transporting items whose contents they cannot verify.
The agency also commended its operatives for the interception and reiterated its commitment to disrupting drug trafficking networks across the country.
