The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 101-year-old woman in Ogun State for allegedly selling cannabis, while also reporting major drug seizures in Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Abuja, Ondo and Kwara states.
The suspect, identified as Esther Ogunmabo, was arrested on Saturday, August 15, in Ilisan, Ogun State, with 90 grams of skunk, a strain of cannabis, packaged in small retail sachets. According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the centenarian told investigators that she had turned to selling cannabis after a fire destroyed her provisions shop.
She allegedly said one of her daughters, who lives in Lagos, supplied her with the drug every four days, after which she sold it in small quantities to people in the community.
Despite the allegation, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Buba Marwa directed that Ogunmabo be granted bail and referred for counselling because of her advanced age. The agency said her daughter had also been arrested in connection with the investigation.
Cocaine Allegedly Concealed Inside Cassava Fufu
In Akwa Ibom, NDLEA operatives intercepted a wooden boat allegedly transporting illicit drugs to fishing settlements in Cameroon. The operation, carried out on Friday, August 21, followed intelligence on the movement of drugs through the state’s maritime routes.Three men were arrested aboard the boat. They were identified as 29-year-old Etima Effiong Eekpo, 33-year-old Otobong Eyoh Etukudoh and 27-year-old Kingsley Effiong John.
Eekpo was allegedly found with 1.120kg of skunk, while Etukudoh had 42.060kg of the same substance. John was allegedly carrying 20 grams of cocaine concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava flour, commonly known as fufu. He was also found with 435 grams of skunk.
NDLEA said a combined 42.622kg of narcotics was recovered from the three suspects.
N4.4bn Worth of ‘Thai Loud’ Seized at Lagos Ports
The agency also announced what it described as its first seizure of illicit drugs shipped from Thailand through Nigeria’s maritime corridor. Two containers containing cannabis indica, commonly known as Loud, were intercepted at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos, with a combined estimated street value of more than ₦4.4 billion.
At Apapa Port, officials from NDLEA, Customs and other agencies examined a container declared to contain dry fish, rice, vehicle spare parts, turmeric soap and inverter batteries. Instead, investigators found 1,090.5kg of Thai Loud packed into 54 cartons containing 2,181 sachets.
At the Lekki Deep Sea Port, another container that had been placed on the NDLEA’s watchlist was examined following monitoring by its Marine Special Operations Unit. Four of the seven pallets inside were found to contain the suspected drug. The consignment comprised 96 cartons containing 400 parcels weighing 400kg in total.
The remaining three pallets contained 798 rims of A4 paper, which investigators said had been used to conceal the drug shipment. The agency said the seizures pointed to a new route being exploited by drug-trafficking networks to bring synthetic cannabis into Nigeria from Thailand.
Tramadol Consignment Intercepted in Abuja
In the Federal Capital Territory, operatives intercepted three waybill packages containing 24,410 tramadol capsules. The packages were found inside a Hummer bus travelling from Enugu towards Zuba on Saturday, August 22.
A follow-up operation in Niger State led to the arrest of 28-year-old Sunday Eze, whom the agency identified as the alleged owner of the consignment. Eze was arrested in Kontagora before being transferred to Abuja.
Cannabis Farms Destroyed in Ondo
NDLEA operatives in Ondo State also carried out operations targeting cannabis cultivation. At Ijare forest in Ifedore Local Government Area, officers destroyed about 10,000kg of skunk cultivated across four hectares.
The operation followed the earlier arrest of three suspected cannabis farmers at the same location on August 16. In another operation at Ita-Ogbolu in Akure North Local Government Area, officers recovered 210kg of skunk and a Toyota Camry allegedly belonging to Sylvester Dibiagu Anthony, who remains at large.
Methamphetamine recovered in KwaraIn Kwara State, officers on patrol along the Ogbomosho-Ilorin Expressway intercepted a Toyota Starlet without a registration number. A search of the vehicle reportedly uncovered 1.325kg of methamphetamine wrapped in black nylon bags, alongside quantities of cannabis sativa. A 22-year-old man, Muhammadu Usman, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
The NDLEA said investigations into the various operations were ongoing as it continues efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks and the cultivation and distribution of illicit substances across the country.
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