The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested an 83-year-old grandmother barely a year after she was convicted for drug trafficking, as the Agency recorded major seizures across Lagos, Taraba, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Cross River, Ondo and Plateau States.
In a statement on Sunday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA said operatives also recovered assorted rifles and ammunition during one of the operations.
83-Year-Old Grandmother Re-arrested In Abia
According to the Agency, Mrs. Uloma Uchechi Sunday, 83, was arrested on Wednesday, 7th October 2026 at her home in Ite-Uzo, Umuaguma, Obingwa LGA, Abia State.
Operatives recovered quantities of methamphetamine and Colorado, a synthetic cannabis variant, concealed around her waist.
Her re-arrest followed credible intelligence that she operates a drug joint that harbours criminal elements in the community.
NDLEA recalled that Uloma was first arrested on 17th May 2025 at the same residence alongside her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom Uchechi, with 50 grams of methamphetamine, 522 grams of skunk, 260 grams of cannabis and 12 grams of tramadol.
Both were prosecuted, pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with an option of N200,000 fine each, which they paid.
The Agency said the octogenarian returned to the trade and expanded her operations.
South African Woman Arrested At Port Harcourt Airport
At the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State, NDLEA operatives working with the Nigeria Customs Service arrested a South African national, Gebashe Sithandiwe Jessie.
She was arrested with 30 parcels of Thai Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 32.74 kilograms concealed in two travelling bags.
The suspect arrived from Thailand via Doha aboard Qatar Airways flight QR1431. She reportedly confessed to having trafficked drugs through other African countries in the past.
Major Seizures At Lagos Airport
At the Import Shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted nine cartons from Pakistan aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight.
The cargo, placed under surveillance since 29th September, was examined on Tuesday 6th October and found to contain 354,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg weighing 307.20kg.
In a separate operation at the same airport, operatives intercepted a consolidated cargo from the United Kingdom containing 70 parcels of Colorado weighing 75.90kg in six bags.
A clearing agent, John Edrah, 54, was arrested on 30th September, while Taofiq Ajibola, 54, was arrested while collecting one of the bags at a logistics company in Mafoluku, Oshodi. Two other suspects, Adetunji Adebayo and Kazeem Damola Dosunmu, 48, were also arrested.
Other State Operations
The Agency reported further seizures:
– Cross River: Adama Inuwa, 46, was arrested on Sunday 4th October in Iyala Nkun village, Ikom LGA with 181 bags of cannabis weighing 1,100kg.
– Edo: Three suspects were arrested on Monday 5th October at Otuo, Owan East LGA with 1,049 blocks of cannabis weighing 702.83kg. Another suspect, Ojugo Mercy, 26, was arrested in Benin City with quantities of Loud, Colorado and methamphetamine.
– *Ondo:* Two separate raids in Akure on 5th October led to the recovery of 29 bags and 35 bags of cannabis weighing 290kg and 351kg respectively.
– Taraba and Kano: On Friday 9th October, two suspects were arrested in Wukari LGA, Taraba with 166,200 tablets of tramadol, while another suspect was arrested along Kano-Maiduguri road with tramadol, diazepam and Exol-5.
– Kaduna and Lagos: Mohammed Musa, 29, was arrested along Zaria-Kaduna expressway with over 1,027kg of skunk. In Orile, Lagos, Musbau Balogun Adekunle was arrested with 85.16kg of skunk and seeds.
In Plateau State, NDLEA operatives raided the residence of Christian Chukwudi Uju, 45, at Rukuba Road, Jos, on 8th October, recovering 47 grams of methamphetamine, two pump action rifles, a locally made gun and assorted live ammunition.
NDLEA Sustains Sensitization Campaign
The Agency said its commands across the country also continued its War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization lectures in schools and communities in Oyo, Ebonyi, Niger, Kano, Lagos and Ogun States.
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended officers of the Lagos, MMIA, PHIA, Taraba, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Cross River, Ondo and Plateau Commands for their professionalism and urged them to sustain the balanced approach to drug control.
