The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 101-year-old great-grandmother for alleged drug trafficking and intercepted cocaine concealed inside cassava fufu as part of major anti-narcotics operations carried out across the country.
The agency also seized 1,490.5kg of synthetic cannabis, popularly known as Loud, worth more than N4.4bn at the Apapa and Lekki Deep Sea ports in Lagos.
The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the development in a statement on Sunday, noting that the seizures represented the agency’s first interception of illicit drugs shipped into Nigeria through a maritime route from Thailand.
In Ogun State, operatives arrested 101-year-old Esther Ogunmabo on August 15 at Ilisan after she was allegedly found with 90 grammes of skunk packed in small sachets for sale.
The elderly suspect reportedly told investigators that she began selling cannabis after fire destroyed her provisions shop. She allegedly added that her daughter, who lives in Lagos, supplied her with the drug every four days.
Following the arrest, the NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (retd.), directed that Ogunmabo be granted bail and given counselling because of her advanced age. Her daughter was, however, arrested in connection with the case.
In Akwa Ibom State, a joint intelligence-led operation on August 21 intercepted a wooden boat allegedly transporting illicit drugs to fishing communities in Cameroon.
Three suspects were arrested during the operation, including 27-year-old Kingsley Effiong John, who was allegedly found with 20 grammes of cocaine hidden inside a wrap of edible fufu, alongside 435 grammes of skunk.
The operation reportedly led to the recovery of 42.622kg of various illicit drugs from the suspects.
At the Lagos ports, NDLEA operatives discovered the Thai-origin Loud consignments concealed beneath legitimate goods.
A container at the Apapa Port, which was declared to contain dry fish, rice, spare parts, soap and inverter batteries, was found to contain 1,090.5kg of Loud packed in 2,181 sachets.
Similarly, a watchlisted container at the Lekki Deep Sea Port yielded another 400kg of Loud hidden underneath 798 reams of A4 paper.
The agency also intercepted 24,410 tramadol pills concealed in waybill packages inside a commercial bus travelling from Enugu to Zuba. The owner of the consignment was subsequently arrested in Kontagora, Niger State.
In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives destroyed 10,000kg of cannabis cultivated on a four-hectare farm in Ijare Forest.
Another operation along the Ogbomosho-Ilorin Expressway in Kwara State led to the recovery of 1.325kg of methamphetamine and cannabis from a vehicle.
In Ibadan, Oyo State, a 65-year-old woman was arrested with 4.68kg of illicit substances comprising Loud, tramadol, codeine-based syrup, diazepam and flunitrazepam.
Further raids were carried out in Kano, Seme in Lagos State and Abia State, where operatives recovered various illicit substances, including Loud, Colorado, tramadol and rohypnol, from a residence in Umuahia South Local Government Area.
Beyond arrests and seizures, the NDLEA said its commands across the country continued with public awareness campaigns under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative.
The sensitisation programmes targeted schools, religious institutions and community leaders in Kano, Oyo, Kebbi, Taraba, Edo and Ogun states.
Marwa commended the officers and men involved in the operations, urging them to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to combating drug abuse and trafficking across the country.