By Seun Ibiyemi
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has reported major breakthroughs in its latest operations across Nigeria, including the arrest of a 101-year-old woman for alleged cannabis dealing and the seizure of illicit drugs worth more than N4.4 billion at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos.
The agency also intercepted cocaine concealed inside edible cassava flour, popularly known as fufu, as well as large consignments of cannabis and other controlled substances in operations conducted across several states.
In Ogun State, NDLEA operatives on August 15 arrested 101-year-old Esther Ogunmabo at Ilisan with 90 grammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis, packaged in retail sachets.
The centenarian reportedly told investigators that she began selling the substance after her provisions shop was destroyed by fire.
She also disclosed that one of her daughters, who lives in Lagos, supplied her with the drug every four days for retail distribution.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), directed that Ogunmabo be granted bail and placed on counselling because of her advanced age. Her daughter was, however, arrested.
In Akwa Ibom State, operatives intercepted a wooden boat on the high seas on August 21 while it was allegedly conveying illicit drugs to fishing settlements in Cameroon.
Three suspects were arrested during the operation.
Etima Effiong Eekpo, 29, was found with 1.120kg of skunk, while Otobong Eyoh Etukudoh, 33, had 42.060kg of skunk.
A third suspect, 27-year-old Kingsley Effiong John, was allegedly found with 20 grammes of cocaine concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava fufu, alongside 435 grammes of skunk.
NDLEA said a total of 42.622kg of narcotics was recovered from the suspects.
The agency also recorded what it described as its first seizure of illicit drugs shipped from Thailand through the maritime corridor following the interception of two containers containing cannabis indica, popularly known as Loud, at the Apapa and Lekki ports.
The consignments had a combined street value of more than N4.4 billion.
At Apapa Port, a container declared to contain dry fish, rice, vehicle spare parts, turmeric soap and inverter batteries was examined jointly by NDLEA, the Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies on August 21.
The inspection 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 previously placed on the NDLEA watchlist was examined on August 19.
Four of seven pallets in the container were found to contain Thai Loud. The consignment comprised 96 cartons containing 400 parcels weighing 400kg, while three other pallets contained 798 rims of A4 paper allegedly used to conceal the drugs.
The NDLEA said both containers originated from the Port of Laem Chabang in Thailand, indicating the emergence of a new maritime route being exploited by drug trafficking syndicates.
In the Federal Capital Territory, operatives 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.
In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives raided a cannabis farm at Ijare forest in Ifedore Local Government Area and destroyed 10,000kg of skunk cultivated across four hectares.
The operation followed the arrest of three suspected cannabis farmers at the location on August 16.
Another operation at Ita-Ogbolu in Akure North Local Government Area led to the recovery of 210kg of skunk and a Toyota Camry allegedly belonging to Sylvester Dibiagu Anthony, who remains at large.
In Kwara State, operatives intercepted a Toyota Starlet along the Ogbomosho-Ilorin Expressway and recovered 1.325kg of methamphetamine and quantities of cannabis. A 22-year-old suspect, Muhammadu Usman, was arrested.
In Oyo State, NDLEA arrested 65-year-old Adebayo Kaosarat at Akobo-Ojuirin, Ibadan, with a mixture of Scottish Loud, tramadol, codeine syrup, diazepam and flunitrazepam weighing 4.68kg in total.
Other operations resulted in the arrest of Chibuzor Madueke, 31, in Kano with 73.3kg of skunk, while three members of the Tijjani family were arrested near the Seme border in Lagos with 48kg of skunk.
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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.
Beyond enforcement operations, NDLEA said its commands and formations continued sensitisation activities under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign across schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.
The agency said the campaigns were conducted in Kano, Oyo, Kebbi, Taraba, Edo and Ogun states, among other locations.
Marwa commended officers involved in the various operations and urged NDLEA personnel nationwide to sustain what he described as a balanced approach to drug control, combining enforcement with prevention and public awareness.
