The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 101-year-old woman in Ogun State and intercepted cocaine concealed in edible cassava flour, popularly known as fufu, during separate operations across Nigeria.
The woman, identified as Esther Ogunmabo, was arrested on August 15 in Ilisan, Ogun State, with 90 grammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis. According to the NDLEA, she told operatives that she sold the drug to locals after her provisions shop was destroyed by fire.
The NDLEA said Ogunmabo also claimed that one of her daughters, who lives in Lagos, supplied the drug to her every four days.
The agency said its chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), directed that the centenarian be granted bail and referred for counselling because of her age. Her daughter was also arrested.
In Akwa Ibom, NDLEA operatives intercepted a wooden boat allegedly transporting illicit drugs to fishing settlements in Cameroon on August 21. Three suspects were arrested with 42.622kg of narcotics, including skunk and 20 grammes of cocaine hidden inside a large wrap of fufu.
The agency also reported the seizure of more than 1.4 tonnes of cannabis indica, popularly known as Loud, at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos. The consignments, shipped from Thailand, were valued at more than N4.4 billion.
At Apapa Port, NDLEA said 1,090.5kg of Thai Loud was found in a container declared to contain dry fish, rice, spare parts, turmeric soap and inverter batteries.
At Lekki Deep Sea Port, another 400kg of Thai Loud was discovered in a container monitored by the agency.
Other operations across the country led to the seizure of tramadol, methamphetamine, codeine, diazepam, flunitrazepam and cannabis, with arrests recorded in the FCT, Ondo, Oyo, Kwara, Kano, Lagos and Abia states.
In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives destroyed about 10,000kg of cannabis cultivated on four hectares of farmland in Ijare forest, Ifedore Local Government Area.
The agency said the operations were part of its ongoing efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks and reduce illicit drug supply across the country.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said Marwa commended officers involved in the operations and urged them to sustain what he described as a balanced approach to drug control.