101-year-old woman among suspects arrested in sweeping NDLEA anti-drug operations
A nationwide crackdown by Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has led to a string of arrests and major drug seizures, including the detention of a 101-year-old woman accused of selling cannabis in Ogun State.
The centenarian, Esther Ogunmabo, was arrested in Ilisan after operatives reportedly found small sachets of skunk, a variety of cannabis, in her possession. According to the agency, she told investigators she turned to the trade after losing her provisions business in a fire and relied on supplies allegedly arranged by one of her daughters.
Given her age, NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa directed that she be granted bail and enrolled in counselling, while authorities moved to arrest the daughter said to be linked to the supply chain.
The arrest was one of several operations announced by the agency as it intensified efforts against drug trafficking networks operating across land and sea routes.
In one of the most significant seizures, NDLEA officers intercepted two shipping containers that arrived from Thailand through Nigerian ports. Investigators said the consignments concealed large quantities of cannabis indica, popularly known as Loud, with the combined haul valued at more than ₦4 billion on the street market.
Officials described the seizure as a notable development because it highlighted what they believe is an emerging trafficking route linking Southeast Asia to Nigeria through maritime channels.
Elsewhere, a maritime operation near Nigeria’s border with Cameroon resulted in the arrest of three suspects aboard a wooden boat allegedly transporting narcotics to fishing settlements. Authorities recovered more than 42 kilograms of illegal substances, including cannabis and cocaine.
The agency also reported arrests and seizures in several states, including Kano, Lagos, Ondo, Abia and the Federal Capital Territory, where thousands of tramadol pills were intercepted during a transport operation.
In Ondo State, anti-narcotics officers destroyed cannabis plantations spread across several hectares of forest land, while separate raids uncovered additional quantities of drugs and led to the recovery of vehicles allegedly connected to trafficking activities.
The latest operations form part of a broader campaign by the NDLEA to disrupt supply networks, dismantle cultivation sites and intercept narcotics entering the country through both domestic and international routes.
Source: myjoyonline.com
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