NDLEA ARRESTS 101-YEAR-OLD WOMAN, UNCOVERS NEW THAI CANNABIS ROUTE
By Judit Gums
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has made major drug seizures across Nigeria, including the arrest of a 101-year-old woman for alleged cannabis dealing, the interception of cocaine concealed in edible cassava flour and the seizure of more than N4.4 billion worth of synthetic cannabis at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos.
In a statement released by the Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA said its’ latest operations covered land and maritime routes and resulted in the recovery of cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, tramadol, codeine and other illicit substances.
The centenarian, Esther Ogunmabo, was arrested in Ilisan, Ogun State, on Aug. 15 with 90 grams of skunk packaged in retail sachets. She reportedly told operatives she turned to drug sales after her provisions shop was destroyed by fire and that a daughter in Lagos supplied the drugs. NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), directed that she be granted bail and referred for counselling, while her daughter was arrested.
In Akwa Ibom, NDLEA operatives intercepted a wooden boat allegedly carrying drugs toward fishing settlements in Cameroon. Three suspects; Etima Effiong Eekpo, 29; Otobong Eyoh Etukudoh, 33; and Kingsley Effiong John, 27 were arrested with 42.622kg of narcotics.
Among the seizures was 20 grams of cocaine concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava flour, popularly known as fufu, alongside 42.060kg and 435 grams of skunk recovered from the suspects.
The agency also reported its’ first seizure of illicit drugs shipped from Thailand through the maritime corridor, intercepting two containers of cannabis indica, popularly known as Loud, at Apapa and Lekki ports.
At Apapa, a container declared to contain dry fish, rice, spare parts, turmeric soap and inverter batteries yielded 1,090.5kg of Thai Loud packed in 54 cartons.
At Lekki Deep Sea Port, another container monitored by NDLEA’s Marine Special Operations Unit contained 400kg of Thai Loud concealed among pallets, while three pallets carried 798 rims of A4 paper used as cover.
In Abuja, NDLEA intercepted 24,410 tramadol capsules in three waybill packages transported from Enugu to Zuba. The suspected owner, Sunday Eze, 28, was later arrested in Kontagora, Niger State.
In Ondo, officers destroyed 10,000kg of skunk cultivated across four hectares at Ijare forest and recovered another 210kg in a separate operation. Kwara operatives seized 1.325kg of methamphetamine and cannabis from Muhammadu Usman, 22.
Oyo officers arrested Adebayo Kaosarat, 65, with 4.68kg comprising Scottish Loud, tramadol, codeine syrup, diazepam and flunitrazepam. Kano operatives recovered 73.3kg of skunk from Chibuzor Madueke, 31.
At Seme, Lagos, three family members, Nasiru Tijjani, 52; Moshood Tijjani, 27; and Salami Tijjani, 27, were arrested with 48kg of skunk. In Abia, officers recovered Loud, Colorado, tramadol and rohypnol from the residence of Ikechukwu Anthony Iwuno, 36.
The NDLEA also continued its’ War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaigns in schools, religious institutions, workplaces and communities across the country.
Marwa commended personnel of the Ogun, Apapa, Lekki, Seme, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Oyo, Kwara, Kano, Abia and FCT Commands for the operations and urged NDLEA officers nationwide to sustain the agency’s balanced approach of enforcement, prevention and public education.
