The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 101-year-old woman for allegedly dealing in cannabis and intercepted cocaine concealed inside edible cassava flour, popularly known as fufu, in separate operations across Nigeria.
The agency also seized more than 1.4 tonnes of cannabis indica, commonly known as Loud, valued at over N4.4 billion at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos.
NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrests and seizures in a statement issued on Sunday.
In Ogun State, operatives arrested 101-year-old Esther Ogunmabo in Ilisan on Saturday, August 15, after allegedly finding 90 grammes of skunk packed in small retail sachets in her possession.
The centenarian reportedly told investigators that she began selling the substance to residents after her provisions store was destroyed by fire. She also alleged that a daughter based in Lagos supplied her with cannabis every four days for resale.
Following her arrest, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), directed that Ogunmabo be granted bail and referred for counselling because of her age. Her daughter was subsequently arrested.
Meanwhile, operatives in Akwa Ibom intercepted a wooden boat on the high seas on Friday, August 21, allegedly transporting illicit drugs towards fishing communities in Cameroon.
Three suspects were arrested and 42.622kg of narcotics recovered.
One of them, 27-year-old Kingsley Effiong John, was allegedly found with 20 grammes of cocaine concealed inside a large quantity of edible cassava fufu, as well as 435 grammes of skunk.
The other suspects were identified as 29-year-old Etima Effiong Ekpo, who was allegedly carrying 1.120kg of skunk, and 33-year-old Otobong Eyoh Etukudoh, who had 42.060kg of the substance.
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At Apapa Port, Lagos, the agency intercepted 1,090.5kg of Thai Loud concealed inside a container declared to contain dry fish, rice, vehicle spare parts, turmeric soap and inverter batteries.
A joint examination conducted by the NDLEA, Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies on Friday uncovered 2,181 sachets of the drug packed in 54 cartons.
Another 400kg of Thai Loud was intercepted at the Lekki Deep Sea Port after being concealed among pallets of A4 paper.
The NDLEA said the two seizures marked its first recorded interception of illicit drugs shipped from Thailand through the maritime route.
In the Federal Capital Territory, operatives on Saturday, 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 28-year-old Sunday Eze, who was identified as the alleged owner of the consignment.
The agency also recorded several arrests and seizures in other parts of the country.
In Ondo State, operatives destroyed 10,000kg of cannabis cultivated on four hectares of farmland in Ijare Forest, Ifedore Local Government Area, while another 210kg of skunk was recovered in Ita-Ogbolu, Akure North.
In Kwara State, 1.325kg of methamphetamine and quantities of cannabis were recovered from a Toyota Starlet intercepted along the Ogbomosho-Ilorin Expressway. A 22-year-old suspect, Muhammadu Usman, was arrested.
Oyo State operatives arrested 65-year-old Adebayo Kaosarat in Ibadan with 4.68kg of illicit substances, including Loud, tramadol, codeine syrup, diazepam and flunitrazepam.
In Kano, the agency arrested 31-year-old Chibuzor Madueke with 73.3kg of skunk, while three members of a family were apprehended near the Seme border in Lagos with 48kg of the substance.
In Abia State, NDLEA operatives recovered 14.4kg of Loud, 2.3kg of Colorado, 386 grammes of tramadol and 134 grammes of Rohypnol from the residence of 36-year-old Ikechukwu Anthony Iwuno in Umuahia South Local Government Area.
The agency said its commands across the country had also continued drug-abuse awareness campaigns in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.
Marwa commended the officers involved in the operations and urged NDLEA personnel nationwide to sustain the agency’s efforts against illicit drug trafficking and abuse.