The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has rearrested an 83-year-old woman previously convicted of drug trafficking and arrested a South African national with 32.74 kilogrammes of cannabis at the Port Harcourt International Airport, as nationwide operations yielded tonnes of illicit drugs and several arrests.
The octogenarian, identified as Uloma Uchechi Sunday, was arrested last Wednesday at her residence in Ite-Uzo, Umuaguma, Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State, with quantities of methamphetamine and Colorado, a synthetic cannabinoid, allegedly concealed around her waist with a wrapper.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, explaining that the arrest followed intelligence reports that the woman operated a drug joint allegedly patronised by criminal elements terrorising the community.
Sunday was previously arrested on May 17, 2025, alongside her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom Uchechi, at the same residence. The agency said the suspects were found with 50 grammes of methamphetamine, 522 grammes of skunk, 260 grammes of fresh cannabis leaves and 12 grammes of tramadol.
Both women pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment or an option of a ₦200,000 fine each. They paid the fines and were released.
According to the agency, the older woman subsequently returned to the illicit drug trade and allegedly established another drug distribution point at her residence.
South African Woman Arrested at Airport
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives, working in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service, arrested a South African national, Gebashe Sithandiwe Jessie, at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State.
The suspect was allegedly found with 30 parcels of Thai Loud, a cannabis strain weighing 32.74 kilogrammes, concealed in two travelling bags.
Babafemi said she arrived from Thailand through Doha aboard a Qatar Airways flight and allegedly admitted to previously trafficking drugs through other African countries before attempting to establish a route through Port Harcourt.
Major Seizures in Lagos
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, operatives intercepted 354,000 tablets of tapentadol, reportedly dosed at 250 milligrammes each and weighing 307.2 kilogrammes.
The consignment, comprising nine cartons shipped from Pakistan aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight, had been placed under surveillance following its arrival on September 29. A joint examination conducted last Tuesday uncovered the drugs.
In another operation at the airport, officers recovered 70 parcels of Colorado weighing 75.9 kilogrammes from six Ghana-Must-Go bags in a consolidated cargo shipment from the United Kingdom.
The NDLEA said a clearing agent, John Edrah, 54, was arrested on September 30, while subsequent arrests included Taofiq Ajibola, 54, an Uber driver; Adetunji Adebayo; and Kazeem Dosunmu, 48, a clothing trader.
Ajibola allegedly disclosed that the drugs had been sent by a UK-based associate, Lukman Sa’idu, while Dosunmu reportedly identified another UK-based individual, Yusuf, as the source of his consignment.
At Orile, Lagos, operatives also arrested Musbau Balogun Adekunle last Tuesday with 32.51 kilogrammes of skunk and 52.65 kilogrammes of cannabis seeds, bringing the total seizure to 85.16 kilogrammes.
1.1 Tonnes of Cannabis Seized in Cross River
In Cross River State, NDLEA operatives raided Iyala Nkun village in Ikom Local Government Area on October 4, arresting Adama Inuwa, 46, and recovering 181 bags of cannabis weighing 1,100 kilogrammes, alongside 17.15 kilogrammes of cannabis seeds.
In Edo State, officers intercepted a black Toyota Camry at Otuo, Owan East Local Government Area, last Monday. The vehicle was allegedly transporting 1,049 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 702.83 kilogrammes.
Three suspects — Monday Orji, 52; Monday Lawal, 40; and Precious Uduegele, 20 — were arrested in connection with the seizure.
Another suspect, Ojugo Mercy, 26, was arrested at Asoro, off Sakponba Road, Benin City, with 989 grammes of Loud, 13 grammes of Colorado and 83 grammes of methamphetamine.
In Ondo State, operatives traced 21-year-old Happy Endurance to a hideout in the Shasha area of Akure last Monday, recovering 29 bags of cannabis weighing 290 kilogrammes.
A separate raid on an apartment in Oba-Ile, Akure, on the same day led to the arrest of Tunde Adebayo, 42, with 35 bags of cannabis weighing 351 kilogrammes.
Tramadol, Other Drugs Intercepted
In Taraba State, operatives arrested Abdulrasheed Mohamed, 31, and Abubakar Saidu, 37, at Chanchanji village in Wukari Local Government Area last Friday, recovering 166,200 tablets of tramadol, reportedly dosed at 225 milligrammes each and weighing 107 kilogrammes.
A stop-and-search operation along the Kano-Maiduguri Road in Kano State on the same day led to the arrest of Yahaya Musa, 32, with 24,990 capsules of tramadol, 50,000 tablets of diazepam and 22,000 tablets of Exol-5.
In Kaduna State, operatives patrolling the Zaria-Kaduna Expressway arrested Mohammed Musa, 29, with 31 jumbo bags and 775 blocks of skunk weighing a combined 1,027 kilogrammes.
Firearms Recovered in Plateau
Meanwhile, a raid on the residence of Christian Uju, 45, on Rukuba Road, Jos, Plateau State, last Thursday resulted in the recovery of methamphetamine, firearms and ammunition.
The agency said officers seized 47 grammes of methamphetamine, two pump-action rifles, one locally made gun, 199 live cartridges, five rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and one round of 9mm ammunition.
The operations formed part of a series of interdiction activities conducted by NDLEA commands across several states, targeting drug trafficking networks operating through airports, highways, residential premises and suspected distribution centres.
Marwa Commends Operatives
Beyond enforcement operations, the NDLEA said its commands and formations continued public enlightenment campaigns under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative, targeting students, worshippers, workers and communities across the country.
The agency’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), commended personnel of the Lagos, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Port Harcourt International Airport, Taraba, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Cross River, Ondo and Plateau commands for what he described as professional and intelligence-driven operations.
Marwa urged officers and men nationwide to sustain the agency’s balanced drug-control strategy, combining enforcement with preventive education and public sensitisation to curb drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
