The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has reported the arrest of a 101-year-old woman in Ogun State for allegedly dealing in cannabis, alongside a series of major drug seizures recorded in different parts of Nigeria.
The centenarian was arrested by NDLEA operatives on August 15, 2026, in Ilisan, Ogun State, after she was allegedly found with 90 grammes of skunk, a form of cannabis. According to the agency, she admitted selling the substance in small quantities to customers in the area.
During questioning, the woman reportedly told investigators that she turned to the illegal drug trade after a fire destroyed her provisions shop, leaving her without a source of income. She also allegedly disclosed that her daughter, who resides in Lagos, supplied her with cannabis every four days for distribution to local buyers.
Following the arrest, NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.) reportedly ordered that the elderly woman be granted bail and receive counselling because of her advanced age. Her daughter was later arrested in connection with the alleged supply and distribution of the drugs.
In a separate operation in Akwa Ibom State, NDLEA officers intercepted a wooden boat suspected of transporting illicit drugs to fishing communities in Cameroon. Three suspects were arrested during the operation, while approximately 42.622kg of narcotics were recovered.
The seizure included 42.06kg of skunk, other cannabis products and 20 grammes of cocaine. The cocaine was allegedly concealed inside a large quantity of edible cassava fufu in an attempt to evade detection.
The agency also announced a major seizure at Lagos ports involving two containers shipped from Thailand. According to the NDLEA, the containers contained cannabis indica, commonly known as Loud, and represented the agency’s first reported seizure of illicit drugs shipped from Thailand through Nigeria’s maritime corridor.
At the Apapa Port, officers searching a container declared to contain dry fish, rice, vehicle spare parts, turmeric soap and inverter batteries reportedly discovered 1,090.5kg of the illicit substance.
A second container intercepted at the Lekki Deep Sea Port yielded another 400kg, bringing the total quantity recovered from both containers to more than 1.49 tonnes. The NDLEA estimated the street value of the consignments at more than ₦4.4 billion.
The agency said the seizures point to the emergence of a new maritime route allegedly being used by international drug trafficking networks to move synthetic cannabis into Nigeria.
Beyond the major seizures in Ogun, Akwa Ibom and Lagos, NDLEA operatives also reported recovering methamphetamine, skunk, opioids and other controlled substances during intelligence-led operations in several states, including Ondo, Oyo, Kwara, Kano and Abia, as well as the Federal Capital Territory.
The latest arrests and seizures were disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi.
According to the agency, the operations demonstrate the increasingly sophisticated methods allegedly being used by drug traffickers, including hiding narcotics in food products, disguising illicit consignments as legitimate imports and transporting drugs through waterways.
The NDLEA said it would continue its nationwide operations aimed at dismantling drug trafficking networks and preventing illicit substances from reaching communities across Nigeria.