The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 101-year-old woman in Ogun State over alleged involvement in the sale of cannabis and uncovered cocaine concealed in a food item during a separate operation.
The centenarian was apprehended in Ilisan on August 15 with 90 grammes of cannabis, commonly known as skunk. The NDLEA said she admitted to selling the substance in small quantities to customers in the community.
According to the agency, the woman told investigators that she turned to the illegal trade after a fire destroyed her provisions store. She reportedly claimed that her daughter, who resides in Lagos, supplied her with cannabis every four days.
The NDLEA said the daughter was also arrested in connection with the case.
However, the agency’s chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), ordered that the 101-year-old suspect be released on bail and provided with counselling because of her advanced age.
In a separate operation in Akwa Ibom, NDLEA operatives intercepted a wooden boat allegedly transporting illegal drugs towards fishing communities in Cameroon. Three suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure.
The operation also led to the recovery of about 42.6kg of various narcotics, including 42.06kg of skunk, as well as other cannabis products and 20 grammes of cocaine reportedly concealed inside a large quantity of cassava fufu.
The agency also announced the interception of more than 1.49 tonnes of cannabis indica, popularly called Loud, in two containers shipped from Thailand.
One of the containers, intercepted at Apapa Port in Lagos, was declared as carrying items including dry fish, rice, vehicle spare parts, turmeric soap and inverter batteries. A search, however, uncovered 1,090.5kg of cannabis.
Another 400kg of the substance was recovered from a second container at the Lekki Deep Sea Port.
The NDLEA estimated the combined street value of the two consignments at more than N4.4bn, describing the seizures as its first interception of illicit drugs shipped from Thailand through Nigeria’s maritime route.
The agency said the development suggested that drug trafficking groups were exploring new maritime channels to bring synthetic cannabis into the country.
Further seizures of methamphetamine, cannabis, opioids and other prohibited substances were recorded during operations in Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Oyo, Kwara, Kano, Abia and the Federal Capital Territory.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrests and seizures in a statement issued on Sunday, saying the operations were part of ongoing efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks across the country.
