Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have recorded a series of major seizures across land and maritime borders, including the arrest of a 101-year-old woman for drug peddling and the interception of cocaine concealed in fufu and synthetic cannabis valued at over N4.4 billion at Lagos ports.
In a statement issued Sunday, 23rd August 2026 by NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the agency said the operations were carried out between 15th and 22nd August in Ogun, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, FCT, Ondo, Kwara, Oyo, Kano, and Abia states.
Centenarian Arrested in OgunNDLEA operatives on Saturday, 15th August arrested Esther Ogunmabo, 101, in Ilisan, Ogun State, with 90 grams of skunk packaged in retail sachets.
The great-grandmother told investigators her provisions shop was destroyed by fire and that she turned to selling the substance to locals. She added that her daughter, based in Lagos, supplies her every four days.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has directed that Ogunmabo be granted bail and placed on counselling due to her age. Her daughter has since been arrested.
Cocaine in Fufu, Boat Intercepted in Akwa Ibom
On Friday, 21st August, operatives in Akwa Ibom intercepted a wooden boat heading to fishing settlements in Cameroon. Three suspects were arrested with a total of 42.622kg of narcotics.
They include Etima Effiong Eekpo, 29, with 1.120kg skunk; Otobong Eyoh Etukudoh, 33, with 42.060kg skunk; and Kingsley Effiong John, 27, found with 20 grams of cocaine cleverly concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava fufu, plus 435 grams of skunk.
*First-Ever Thai Loud Seizure Worth N4.4bn*
The agency also recorded its first seizure of illicit drugs shipped from Thailand through Nigerian seaports. Two containers of cannabis indica, known as Loud, were intercepted at Apapa and Lekki Deep Sea Ports with a combined street value of over N4.4 billion.
At Apapa Port on Friday, 21st August, a container declared to contain dry fish, rice, and spare parts was found to hold 1,090.5kg of Thai Loud packed in 54 cartons, or 2,181 sachets of 500 grams each.
At Lekki Port on Wednesday, 19th August, another container on the agency’s watchlist yielded 400kg of Thai Loud concealed in four of seven pallets. The remaining pallets contained 798 rims of A4 paper used as cover. Both containers were traced to the Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand.
Other Seizures Across States
– *FCT:* On Saturday, 22nd August, 24,410 tramadol pills were intercepted in waybill packages inside a hummer bus in Zuba. The owner, Sunday Eze, 28, was later arrested in Kontagora, Niger State.
– *Ondo:* On Wednesday, 19th August, operatives destroyed 10,000kg of skunk cultivated on four hectares in Ijare forest, Ifedore LGA. Also in Ita-Ogbolu, 210kg of skunk and a Toyota Camry were recovered.
– *Kwara:* On Friday, 21st August, 1.325kg of methamphetamine and cannabis were recovered from a Toyota Starlet on the Ogbomosho-Ilorin expressway. Suspect Muhammadu Usman, 22, was arrested.
– *Oyo:* A 65-year-old woman, Adebayo Kaosarat, was arrested in Ibadan on Friday with 4.68kg of substances including Scottish Loud, tramadol, codeine, diazepam and flunitrazepam.
– *Kano:* On Monday, 17th August, Chibuzor Madueke, 31, was arrested on Hadeija Road with 73.3kg of skunk.
– *Lagos/Seme:* Three family members, Nasiru Tijjani, 52, Moshood Tijjani, 27, and Salami Tijjani, 27, were arrested near Seme border with 48kg of skunk.
– *Abia:* On Thursday, 20th August, 14.4kg Loud, 2.3kg Colorado, 386g tramadol and 134g rohypnol were recovered from a residence in Umuahia South.
WADA Sensitization Continues
The agency said its War Against Drug Abuse campaign reached schools, worship centres and communities in Kano, Oyo, Kebbi, Taraba and Edo states last week.
Commending the commands involved, Gen. Marwa urged officers nationwide to sustain what he described as the agency’s balanced approach to drug control.
