NDLEA Arrests 101-Year-Old Woman, Intercepts Cocaine Hidden in Fufu, N4.4bn Thai Cannabis

Cannabi The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has reported a fresh wave of arrests and major drug seizures across the country, including the arrest of a 101-year-old woman allegedly involved in cannabis sales and the interception of cocaine concealed inside edible cassava flour, popularly known as fufu.

The agency also seized cannabis, methamphetamine, tramadol and other illicit substances in coordinated operations across several states, including a combined 1,490.5kg of cannabis popularly known as “Loud” at the Apapa and Lekki Deep Sea ports in Lagos.

The latest operations, disclosed in a statement on Sunday by NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, also uncovered what the agency described as a new maritime trafficking route for cannabis shipments from Thailand.

101-year-old woman arrested in Ogun

In Ogun State, NDLEA operatives on August 15 arrested 101-year-old Esther Ogunmabo at Ilisan with 90 grams of skunk cannabis packaged in retail sachets.

The centenarian reportedly told investigators that she turned to the illicit drug trade after her provisions shop was destroyed by fire.

She allegedly said one of her daughters, who lives in Lagos, supplied the cannabis every four days, which she subsequently sold in small quantities to customers.

Following her arrest, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), directed that the elderly suspect be granted bail and subjected to counselling.

Her daughter was subsequently arrested.

Cocaine concealed in fufu intercepted

In Akwa Ibom State, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence intercepted a wooden boat on the high seas on August 21.

The boat was allegedly transporting illicit drugs to fishing settlements in Cameroon.

Three suspects were arrested with a combined 42.622kg of narcotics.

Among them was 27-year-old Kingsley Effiong John, who allegedly concealed 20 grams of cocaine inside a large wrap of edible cassava fufu. He was also found with 435 grams of skunk.

Two other suspects, Etima Effiong Eekpo, 29, and Otobong Eyoh Etukudoh, 33, were arrested with 1.120kg and 42.060kg of skunk respectively.

N4.4bn Thai cannabis seized at Lagos ports

The agency said it also intercepted two containers containing cannabis indica, popularly called Loud, shipped from Thailand through the maritime corridor.

The combined street value of the consignments was estimated at more than N4.4 billion.

According to the NDLEA, the seizures represent its first interception of illicit drugs shipped from Thailand through the maritime route, raising concerns over the emergence of a new trafficking corridor being exploited by drug syndicates.

At Apapa Port, a container declared to contain dry fish, rice, vehicle spare parts, turmeric soap and inverter batteries was examined on August 21 by NDLEA, Customs and other relevant agencies.

The inspection uncovered 1,090.5kg of Thai Loud packed in 54 cartons containing 2,181 sachets of 500 grams each.

At the Lekki Deep Sea Port, another container monitored by the NDLEA Marine Special Operations Unit was examined on August 19.

Four of the seven pallets contained 96 cartons of Thai Loud, comprising 400 parcels weighing 400kg.

The remaining three pallets contained 798 rims of A4 paper, which the agency said were allegedly used to conceal the drug consignment.

More arrests, seizures across states

In the Federal Capital Territory, NDLEA operatives on August 22 intercepted three waybill packages containing 24,410 tramadol capsules concealed inside a Hummer bus travelling from Enugu to Zuba.

A follow-up operation in Niger State led to the arrest of the alleged owner of the consignment, 28-year-old Sunday Eze, in Kontagora. He was subsequently transferred to Abuja.

In Ondo State, operatives raided a cannabis farm in Ijare Forest, Ifedore Local Government Area, following the arrest of three suspected cannabis growers.

The operation resulted in the destruction of 10,000kg of skunk cultivated on four hectares of forest.

Another operation at Ita-Ogbolu in Akure North Local Government Area led to the recovery of 210kg of skunk and a Toyota Camry. The alleged owner of the vehicle, Sylvester Dibiagu Anthony, is reportedly at large.

In Kwara State, operatives intercepted a Toyota Starlet along the Ogbomosho-Ilorin Expressway on August 21 and recovered 1.325kg of methamphetamine and quantities of cannabis sativa.

A 22-year-old suspect, Muhammadu Usman, was arrested.

In Oyo State, 65-year-old Adebayo Kaosarat was arrested at Akobo-Ojuirin, Ibadan, with 4.68kg of assorted illicit substances, including Scottish Loud, tramadol, codeine syrup, diazepam and flunitrazepam.

In Kano State, a raid along Hadeija Road resulted in the arrest of 31-year-old Chibuzor Madueke with 98 blocks of skunk weighing 73.3kg.

At Seme in Lagos, three members of the Tijjani family — Nasiru Tijjani, 52, and his relatives, Moshood Tijjani, 27, and Salami Tijjani, 27 — were arrested at Ashipa near the Seme border with 48kg of skunk.

In Abia State, NDLEA officers raided the residence of 36-year-old Ikechukwu Anthony Iwuno at Umuobia Olokoro, Umuahia South Local Government Area, recovering 14.4kg of Loud, 2.3kg of Colorado, 386 grams of tramadol and 134 grams of Rohypnol.

NDLEA intensifies anti-drug campaign

Beyond arrests and seizures, the NDLEA said its commands and formations across the country continued to intensify its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.

The agency conducted awareness programmes in Kano, Oyo, Kebbi, Taraba and Edo states, while the Idiroko Special Area Command visited the Chairman of Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State, Johnson Avoseh, as part of its WADA advocacy campaign.

Marwa commended officers and personnel involved in the operations and urged them to sustain what he described as a balanced approach to drug control.

He called for continued emphasis on enforcement alongside prevention, sensitisation and rehabilitation.

The NDLEA said the latest operations demonstrated its continued efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks, dismantle local drug supply chains and prevent illicit substances from reaching communities through Nigeria’s land and maritime borders.