The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 101-year-old great-grandmother for alleged cannabis dealing and intercepted cocaine concealed inside a wrap of fufu in separate operations across Nigeria.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, operatives arrested Esther Ogunmabo, 101, at Ilisan in Ogun State on August 15 with 90 grammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis, packaged in retail sachets.
The agency said Ogunmabo told investigators that she began selling the substance after a fire destroyed her provisions shop. She also reportedly said one of her daughters, who lives in Lagos, supplied her with cannabis every four days.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), directed that the centenarian be granted bail and placed on counselling because of her advanced age. Her daughter was subsequently arrested.
In a separate operation in Akwa Ibom State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a wooden boat allegedly transporting illicit drugs towards fishing settlements in Cameroon.
Three suspects were arrested during the operation. Among them was 27-year-old Kingsley Effiong John, who was allegedly found with 20 grammes of cocaine concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava fufu, alongside 435 grammes of skunk.
The agency said a total of 42.622kg of narcotics was recovered from the three suspects.
The NDLEA also reported major seizures at Lagos ports, including two containers containing a combined 1,490.5kg of synthetic cannabis known as “Loud”, which the agency valued at more than ₦4.4 billion.
The agency said the operations form part of its ongoing nationwide crackdown on illicit drug trafficking and called on its personnel to sustain efforts against drug syndicates and trafficking networks.
