101-year-old great-grandmother, 65-year-old woman arrested in NDLEA drug busts

Arrest of centenarian in Ogun State

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 101-year-old great-grandmother, Esther Ogunmabo, for allegedly dealing in illicit drugs. The arrest occurred in Ilisan, Ogun State, on Saturday, August 15, 2026, where she was found with 90 grammes of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis, packaged in retail sachets.

According to the agency, the centenarian claimed she turned to the illicit trade after her provisions shop was destroyed by fire. She further disclosed that one of her daughters, based in Lagos, allegedly facilitated the supply of the substance every four days for onward sale to locals in small quantities.

In a rare and startling development, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, 15th August 2026, arrested a 101-year-old woman, Esther Ogunmabo, in Ilisan, Ogun State, with retail sachets of skunk, a strain of cannabis weighing 90 grams, which she claims she sells to locals.

— Femi Babafemi, Spokesman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)

In response to the suspect's advanced age, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), directed that she be granted bail and placed on counselling. Her daughter has also been arrested in connection with the case.

Multi-billion naira seizures at Lagos ports

The agency recorded a significant breakthrough in maritime interdiction, intercepting two containers of cannabis indica, popularly known as "Loud," at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos. Shipped from the Port of Laem Chabang in Thailand, the consignments have an estimated street value of more than N4.4 billion.

At the Apapa Port, a joint examination by the NDLEA and the Nigeria Customs Service uncovered 1,090.5kg of Thai Loud concealed within a container declared as carrying dry fish, rice, vehicle spare parts, and other household items. Meanwhile, at the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the agency’s Marine Special Operations Unit identified four pallets containing 400kg of the same substance, hidden under 798 rims of A4 paper.

These seizures represent the first time illicit drugs from Thailand have been intercepted through Nigeria's maritime corridor. The NDLEA noted that the discovery suggests the emergence of a new trafficking route being exploited by international drug syndicates.

Narcotics concealed in foodstuffs

In Akwa Ibom State, operatives intercepted a wooden boat on the high seas destined for fishing settlements in the Republic of Cameroon. During the operation on Friday, August 21, officials discovered 20 grammes of cocaine cleverly concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava flour, commonly known as fufu.

Three suspects were arrested on the vessel: Etima Effiong Eekpo, 29; Otobong Eyoh Etukudoh, 33; and Kingsley Effiong John, 27. In addition to the cocaine found inside the fufu wrap, the agency recovered over 42kg of skunk from the suspects. This operation underscores the increasingly creative methods traffickers use to bypass security checkpoints.

Further inland, a 65-year-old woman, Adebayo Kaosarat, was apprehended in the Akobo-Ojuirin area of Ibadan, Oyo State. She was found in possession of a cocktail of illicit substances, including Scottish Loud, tramadol, codeine syrup, diazepam, and flunitrazepam, totaling 4.68kg.

Nationwide interdictions and advocacy

The NDLEA's intensified crackdown extended across several other states, resulting in the destruction of 10,000kg of skunk at a cannabis farm in the Ijare forest of Ondo State. In the FCT, operatives intercepted 24,410 pills of tramadol concealed in a commercial bus traveling from Enugu to Abuja, leading to the subsequent arrest of the consignment's owner in Niger State.

Additional arrests and seizures were recorded in Kwara, Kano, Abia, and the Seme border area. These include the recovery of 1.325kg of methamphetamine in Ilorin and 73.3kg of skunk in Kano. Alongside these enforcement actions, the agency continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, religious centers, and workplaces nationwide.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the various commands for their successful operations. He urged officers to maintain a balanced approach by disrupting trafficking organisations while strengthening preventive measures such as public enlightenment and counselling services.