The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 101-year-old woman for alleged cannabis dealing and intercepted cocaine concealed in edible cassava flour, popularly known as fufu, as its operatives recorded major drug seizures across several states and Nigeria’s maritime borders.
The agency disclosed the operations in a statement issued on Sunday, August 23, 2026, by its Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who said the seizures included more than N4.4 billion worth of Loud, a strain of synthetic cannabis, intercepted at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos.
In one of the most unusual arrests recorded during the week, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, August 15, arrested Esther Ogunmabo, 101, at Ilisan, Ogun State, with 90 grammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis.
According to the agency, the centenarian told investigators that she began selling the illicit substance after her provisions shop was destroyed by fire.
She reportedly said one of her daughters, who lives in Lagos, supplied the cannabis to her every four days, which she subsequently sold in smaller quantities to residents.
However, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), directed that the elderly suspect be granted bail and placed on counselling because of her advanced age. Her daughter was subsequently arrested.
Cocaine concealed in fufu intercepted
In Akwa Ibom, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence on Friday, August 21, intercepted a wooden boat on the high seas allegedly conveying illicit drugs to fishing settlements in Cameroon.
Three suspects were arrested during the operation.
They were identified as Etima Effiong Eekpo, 29; Otobong Eyoh Etukudoh, 33; and Kingsley Effiong John, 27.
The agency said Eekpo was found with 1.120kg of skunk, while Etukudoh possessed 42.060kg of skunk.
John was allegedly carrying 20 grammes of cocaine cleverly concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava fufu, alongside 435 grammes of skunk.
A total of 42.622kg of narcotics was recovered from the three suspects.
NDLEA intercepts N4.4bn Thai Loud
At the nation’s maritime borders, the agency said it recorded its first seizure of illicit drugs shipped from Thailand through the maritime corridor after intercepting two containers containing cannabis indica, popularly known as Loud, at the Apapa and Lekki ports.
The combined street value of the seized drugs was put at more than N4.4 billion.
Both containers were reportedly loaded at the Port of Laem Chabang in Thailand, which the agency said pointed to an emerging trafficking route 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 jointly by NDLEA, Customs and other agencies on Friday, August 21.
The inspection allegedly uncovered 1,090.5kg of Thai Loud, packed in 54 cartons containing 2,181 sachets of 500 grammes each.
At the Lekki Deep Sea Port, another container under NDLEA surveillance was examined on Wednesday, August 19.
Four of seven pallets wrapped in black nylon were found to contain 400kg of Thai Loud, packed in 96 cartons and 400 parcels. The remaining three pallets contained 798 rims of A4 paper, allegedly used to conceal the drug consignment.
Thousands of tramadol pills seized in Abuja
In the Federal Capital Territory, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, August 22, intercepted three waybill packages containing 24,410 tramadol capsules 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, NDLEA officers destroyed about 10,000kg of skunk cultivated across four hectares of cannabis farms in Ijare forest, Ifedore Local Government Area.
The operation followed the earlier arrest of three suspected cannabis farmers at the location.
In another operation in the state, 210kg of skunk was recovered at Ita-Ogbolu, Akure North LGA, alongside a Toyota Camry allegedly belonging to Sylvester Dibiagu Anthony, who remains at large.
Methamphetamine, opioids recovered
In Kwara State, operatives on patrol along the Ogbomosho-Ilorin Expressway intercepted a Toyota Starlet without a registration number on Friday, August 21.
A search of the vehicle allegedly produced 1.325kg of methamphetamine and quantities of cannabis sativa. A 22-year-old suspect, Muhammadu Usman, was arrested.
In Oyo State, a 65-year-old woman, Adebayo Kaosarat, was arrested in the Akobo-Ojuirin area of Ibadan with 4.68kg of assorted illicit substances.
The drugs allegedly comprised 1.795kg of Scottish Loud, 1.66kg of tramadol, 600 grammes of codeine syrup, 125 grammes of diazepam and 50 grammes of flunitrazepam.
In Kano, a raid along Hadeija Road on Monday, August 17, resulted in the arrest of 31-year-old Chibuzor Madueke, from whom 98 blocks of skunk weighing 73.3kg were recovered.
At Seme, Badagry, three members of the same family — Nasiru Tijjani, 52; Moshood Tijjani, 27; and Salami Tijjani, 27 — were arrested with 48kg of skunk.
In Abia State, operatives raided the residence of 36-year-old Ikechukwu Anthony Iwuno at Umuobia Olokoro, Umuahia South LGA, on Thursday, August 20, recovering 14.4kg of Loud, 2.3kg of Colorado, 386 grammes of tramadol and 134 grammes of Rohypnol.
Marwa orders sustained crackdown
Commending officers and personnel of the Ogun, Apapa, Lekki, Seme, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Oyo, Kwara, Kano, Abia and FCT Commands, Marwa urged them to sustain the agency’s current approach to drug control.
Marwa also called on NDLEA personnel across the country to maintain the momentum in combating illicit drug trafficking and abuse.
The agency said its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign also continued during the week, with sensitisation programmes conducted in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities across the country.
