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Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a suspected female drug kingpin, Simbiat Shodunke, following the discovery of 23.5 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed inside her children’s room at her residence in Surulere, Lagos.
The arrest came after months of intelligence-led surveillance, as Shodunke had reportedly gone underground since May 2024 to evade law enforcement authorities. NDLEA officials said she was a key member of a trans-border cocaine trafficking syndicate previously dismantled in Lagos and Ogun states.
According to the agency, Shodunke was trailed to her home at 31 Onasanya Street, Surulere, where operatives carried out a thorough search on December 9, 2025, During the operation, blocks of cocaine weighing 23.50kg were recovered from a black suitcase hidden inside her children’s room.
Investigators revealed that Shodunke served as a stash keeper for the cartel, storing large quantities of illicit drugs before distribution. She reportedly admitted ownership of the cocaine, which NDLEA officials said has an estimated street value exceeding ₦5 billion.
The arrest is linked to a major cocaine trafficking network dismantled in May 2024, when NDLEA operatives intercepted a couple, Lookman Dauda and Toheebat Dauda, along the Lagos–Badagry Expressway while attempting to transport drugs across the land border into Ghana.
At the time of their arrest on Saturday, May 25, 2024, operatives recovered 42 blocks of cocaine weighing 47.5kg from the couple. A follow-up raid at their residence in **Agbara, Ogun State, led to the seizure of an additional 10kg of cocaine, bringing the total recovered from the couple to 57.5kg.
Following the dismantling of the cartel, NDLEA operatives intensified intelligence gathering to track down other members of the syndicate. This effort eventually led to the identification and arrest of Shodunke as a central figure in the operation.
NDLEA authorities reaffirmed their commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks across Nigeria and preventing the use of residential homes for the storage of illicit substances, particularly where children are exposed to danger.
Further investigations are ongoing, and the suspect is expected to be charged to court upon conclusion of the probe.
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