Daud Olatunji
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 101-year-old woman, identified as Esther Ogunmabo, for allegedly dealing in cannabis in Ilisan, Ogun State.
The NDLEA said the centenarian was arrested on Saturday, August 15, with 90 grammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis, packaged in small sachets for alleged retail distribution.
According to the agency, Ogunmabo told investigators that she turned to the illicit trade after her provisions shop was destroyed by fire.
She allegedly disclosed that one of her daughters, who resides in Lagos, supplied her with the cannabis every four days, which she subsequently sold in small quantities to residents.
Following the disclosure, NDLEA operatives also arrested the daughter in connection with the alleged drug dealing.
The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), however, directed that the 101-year-old suspect be granted bail and placed under counselling because of her advanced age.
The agency said the arrest formed part of a series of operations conducted by its commands across the country, which resulted in the seizure of different illicit drugs and the arrest of several suspects.
In Akwa Ibom State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a wooden boat on the high seas on Friday, August 21, allegedly transporting illicit drugs to fishing settlements in Cameroon.
They were identified as 29-year-old Etima Effiong Eekpo, 33-year-old Otobong Eyoh Etukudoh and 27-year-old Kingsley Effiong John.
The agency said Eekpo was found with 1.120kg of skunk, while Etukudoh allegedly possessed 42.060kg of the substance.
John was allegedly found with 435 grammes of skunk and 20 grammes of cocaine concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava flour, popularly known as fufu.
The NDLEA said a combined 42.622kg of narcotics was recovered from the three suspects.
In Abuja, operatives on Saturday, August 22, intercepted three waybill packages containing 24,410 tramadol capsules inside a Hummer bus travelling from Enugu to Zuba.
A follow-up operation in Niger State led to the arrest of the alleged owner of the consignment, 28-year-old Sunday Eze, in Kontagora. He was later transferred to Abuja for further investigation.
In Oyo State, a 65-year-old woman, Adebayo Kaosarat, was arrested around the Akobo-Ojuirin area of Ibadan on Friday.
The NDLEA said 1.795kg of Scottish Loud, 1.66kg of tramadol, 600 grammes of codeine syrup, 125 grammes of diazepam and 50 grammes of flunitrazepam were recovered from her, with the substances weighing a combined 4.68kg.
In Kano State, operatives raided Hadeija Road on Monday, August 17, arresting 31-year-old Chibuzor Madueke and recovering 98 blocks of skunk weighing 73.3kg.
Similarly, three members of the same family—52-year-old Nasiru Tijjani and 27-year-olds Moshood Tijjani and Salami Tijjani—were arrested near the Seme border in Lagos with 48kg of skunk.
In Kwara State, 22-year-old Muhammadu Usman was arrested after NDLEA operatives allegedly recovered 1.325kg of methamphetamine and quantities of cannabis from a Toyota Starlet car along the Ogbomosho-Ilorin Expressway.
In Abia State, a raid on the residence of 36-year-old Ikechukwu Anthony Iwuno in Umuahia South Local Government Area resulted in the recovery of 14.4kg of Loud, 2.3kg of Colorado, 386 grammes of tramadol and 134 grammes of Rohypnol.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Ondo State destroyed 10,000kg of skunk cultivated on four hectares of cannabis farm in Ijare Forest, Ifedore Local Government Area.
The operation followed the arrest of three suspected cannabis planters at the location on August 16, according to the agency.
In a separate operation at Ita-Ogbolu, Akure North Local Government Area, the NDLEA said it recovered 210kg of skunk and a Toyota Camry.
The alleged owner of the vehicle, identified as Sylvester Dibiagu Anthony, is currently at large, the agency said.
Marwa commended the officers and men of the affected commands, urging them to sustain what he described as the agency’s balanced approach to drug control.
The NDLEA said investigations into the various arrests and seizures were ongoing.
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