The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 101-year-old woman, Esther Ogunmabo, for allegedly selling cannabis in Ilisan, Ogun State.
According to Naija News, Ogunmabo was arrested on Saturday, August 15, 2026, with 90 grammes of skunk packaged in retail sachets allegedly intended for sale within the community.
The NDLEA said the centenarian told its operatives that she ventured into the illicit drug trade after a fire destroyed her provisions shop.
She reportedly claimed that one of her daughters, who resides in Lagos, supplied the cannabis every four days for her to sell in smaller quantities.
Following the arrest, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), directed that Ogunmabo be granted bail and placed under counselling because of her advanced age.
Her daughter was subsequently arrested in connection with the alleged supply of the substance.
Cocaine Concealed Inside Fufu
In a separate operation in Akwa Ibom State, NDLEA personnel intercepted a wooden boat allegedly transporting illicit drugs to fishing settlements in the Republic of Cameroon.
The operation, conducted on Friday, August 21, led to the arrest of three suspects identified as Etima Effiong Eekpo, 29; Otobong Eyoh Etukudoh, 33; and Kingsley Effiong John, 27.
Eekpo was allegedly found with 1.120 kilogrammes of skunk, while Etukudoh reportedly had 42.060 kilogrammes of the substance.
John was allegedly found with 20 grammes of cocaine concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava fufu and an additional 435 grammes of skunk.
The agency said a total of 42.622 kilogrammes of illicit drugs was recovered during the operation.
The intercepted boat was reportedly travelling towards the Ine Isu, Ine Mbah and Ine Ikot Itie Udung fishing ports in Cameroon.
₦4.4bn Worth of Loud Seized in Lagos
Naija News further reports that the NDLEA intercepted two containers carrying large consignments of cannabis indica, popularly known as Loud, at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos.
The agency described the operation as its first interception of illicit drugs shipped from Thailand through Nigeria’s maritime corridor.
Both containers were reportedly loaded at the Port of Laem Chabang in Thailand, raising concerns about a possible new trafficking route being explored by international drug syndicates.
At the Apapa Port, a container declared as carrying dry fish, rice, vehicle spare parts, turmeric soap and inverter batteries was jointly examined by the NDLEA, Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies.
The search reportedly uncovered 1,090.5 kilogrammes of Thai Loud packed inside 54 cartons containing 2,181 sachets weighing 500 grammes each.
At the Lekki Deep Sea Port, another container placed on the agency’s watchlist was examined on August 19.
Four of its seven pallets allegedly contained 96 cartons holding 400 parcels of Thai Loud weighing 400 kilogrammes.
The remaining pallets reportedly contained 798 rims of A4 paper allegedly used to conceal the drugs.
The NDLEA estimated the combined street value of the consignments at more than ₦4.4 billion.
Tramadol Intercepted in Abuja
In the Federal Capital Territory, NDLEA operatives intercepted three waybill packages containing 24,410 tramadol capsules.
The packages were discovered inside a Hummer bus travelling from Enugu to Zuba on Saturday, August 22.
A follow-up operation in Kontagora, Niger State, reportedly led to the arrest of the alleged owner of the consignment, Sunday Eze, 28, who was transferred to Abuja for further investigation.
Cannabis Farm Destroyed in Ondo
Operatives in Ondo State also raided a cannabis farm at Ijare Forest in Ifedore Local Government Area.
The agency said about 10,000 kilogrammes of skunk cultivated across four hectares of land were destroyed during the operation.
At Ita-Ogbolu in Akure North Local Government Area, officers recovered 210 kilogrammes of skunk and a Toyota Camry allegedly belonging to Sylvester Dibiagu Anthony, who was said to be at large.
Suspects Arrested Across Other States
Along the Ogbomosho–Ilorin Expressway in Kwara State, officers intercepted a Toyota Starlet carrying 1.325 kilogrammes of methamphetamine and quantities of cannabis.
A 22-year-old suspect, Muhammadu Usman, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
In Oyo State, officers arrested Adebayo Kaosarat, 65, at Akobo-Ojuirin, Ibadan, with substances weighing a combined 4.68 kilogrammes.
The items reportedly included Scottish Loud, tramadol, codeine syrup, diazepam and flunitrazepam.
In Kano State, Chibuzor Madueke, 31, was arrested during a raid along Hadejia Road, where officers allegedly recovered 98 blocks of skunk weighing 73.3 kilogrammes.
Three members of the same family—Nasiru Tijjani, Moshood Tijjani and Salami Tijjani—were also arrested at Ashipa near the Seme border with 48 kilogrammes of skunk.
In Abia State, officers raided the residence of Ikechukwu Anthony Iwuno, 36, at Umuobia Olokoro in Umuahia South Local Government Area.
The operation reportedly produced 14.4 kilogrammes of Loud, 2.3 kilogrammes of Colorado, 386 grammes of tramadol and 134 grammes of Rohypnol.
Marwa Commends NDLEA Officers
Marwa commended personnel attached to the Ogun, Apapa, Lekki, Seme, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Oyo, Kwara, Kano, Abia and FCT Commands for the operations.
He urged officers nationwide to continue combining enforcement with prevention, counselling, public education and other measures aimed at reducing the demand for illicit drugs.
The agency said its War Against Drug Abuse campaign was also taken to schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities across several states during the week.
The arrests remain allegations, and the suspects are entitled to the presumption of innocence until their guilt is established before a competent court.
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