NDLEA Re-Arrests 83-Year-Old Woman, Seizes Drugs Across Multiple States

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has re-arrested an 83-year-old woman, Uloma Sunday, over the alleged possession of methamphetamine and Colorado in Abia State, about 17 months after her first arrest.

Femi Babafemi, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, said in a statement on Sunday that operatives arrested Sunday at her residence in Ite-Uzo, Umuaguma, Obingwa Local Government Area, on October 7. The substances were allegedly concealed around her waist with a wrapper.

Babafemi said intelligence reports indicated that the woman operated a drug joint where criminal elements who terrorised the community gathered.

The agency had first arrested Sunday and her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom Uchechi, at the same residence on May 17, 2025. The operation reportedly yielded 50 grammes of methamphetamine, 522 grammes of skunk, 260 grammes of fresh cannabis leaves and 12 grammes of tramadol.

According to the statement, both women pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment or a fine of ₦200,000 each. They paid the fines and were released.

South African Woman Arrested With 32.74kg Of Cannabis

In another operation, NDLEA operatives, working with the Nigeria Customs Service, arrested a South African national, Gebashe Sithandiwe Jessie, at Port Harcourt International Airport in Omagwa, Rivers State.

The 30-year-old woman was allegedly found with 32.74 kilogrammes of Thai Loud, a strain of cannabis, concealed in two travelling bags. She had reportedly arrived from Thailand through Doha aboard Qatar Airways flight QR1431.

Babafemi said the suspect confessed to previously trafficking drugs through other African countries before attempting to expand her route to Port Harcourt.

At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, operatives intercepted 354,000 tablets of tapentadol weighing 307.20 kilogrammes in nine cartons shipped from Pakistan aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight.

The consignment arrived on September 29 and was placed under surveillance before a joint examination on October 6 uncovered the tablets.

The agency also intercepted 70 parcels of Colorado weighing 75.90 kilogrammes in six Ghana-Must-Go bags within a consolidated cargo shipment from the United Kingdom.

The operation led to the arrest of several suspects, including a clearing agent, John Edrah, 54; Uber driver Taofiq Ajibola, 54; and clothing trader Kazeem Damola Dosunmu, 48. Adetunji Adebayo was also arrested.

Babafemi said Ajibola identified a UK-based associate, Lukman Sa’idu, as the person who sent the drugs, while Dosunmu said his consignments came from another UK-based man identified as Yusuf.

Major Cannabis Seizures In Several States

The NDLEA reported substantial cannabis seizures and arrests across Cross River, Edo, Ondo, Kaduna and Lagos states.

In Cross River, operatives arrested 46-year-old Adama Inuwa during a raid on Iyala Nkun village in Ikom Local Government Area on October 4. They recovered 181 bags of cannabis weighing 1,100 kilogrammes, alongside 17.15 kilogrammes of cannabis seeds.

In Edo State, officers intercepted a black Toyota Camry conveying 1,049 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 702.83 kilogrammes at Otuo, Owan East Local Government Area, on October 5. 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 in Benin City, with 989 grammes of Loud, 13 grammes of Colorado and 83 grammes of methamphetamine.

In Ondo State, operatives arrested Happy Endurance, 21, at her hideout in the Shasha area of Akure on October 5, 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.

In Kaduna State, officers arrested Mohammed Musa, 29, during a patrol along the Zaria-Kaduna Expressway. They recovered 31 jumbo bags of skunk and 775 blocks of the substance, with a combined weight of 1,027 kilogrammes.

The agency also arrested Musbau Balogun Adekunle in Orile, Lagos, on October 6, allegedly recovering 32.51 kilogrammes of skunk and 52.65 kilogrammes of cannabis seeds.

Tramadol, Other Drugs Seized Along Highways

In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives, supported by soldiers, arrested Abdulrasheed Mohamed, 31, and Abubakar Saidu, 37, at Chanchanji village in Wukari Local Government Area on October 9. The operation yielded 166,200 tablets of tramadol 225mg weighing 107 kilogrammes.

On the same day, a stop-and-search operation along the Kano-Maiduguri Road led to the arrest of Yahaya Musa, 32. Officers reportedly recovered 24,990 capsules of tramadol, 50,000 tablets of diazepam and 22,000 tablets of Exol-5.

NDLEA Recovers Firearms, Ammunition In Jos

In Plateau State, operatives arrested Christian Chukwudi Uju, 45, at his residence on Rukuba Road in Jos on October 8.

The agency said the operation yielded 47 grammes of methamphetamine, two pump-action rifles, a locally made gun, 199 live cartridges, five rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and one round of 9mm ammunition.

Marwa Commends Officers

Babafemi said NDLEA commands across the country also carried out public awareness activities under the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse campaign during the week.

The activities included sensitisation lectures in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities. Schools visited included Progressive Grammar School in Tede, Oyo State; Ehugbo Technical College in Afikpo, Ebonyi State; Baptist High School in Lambata, Niger State; and other schools in Kano, Lagos and Ogun states.

According to Babafemi, NDLEA Chairman Buba Marwa commended the officers involved in the operations and urged personnel nationwide to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control.