The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has re-arrested an 83-year-old woman, Uloma Uchechi Sunday, for allegedly returning to drug trafficking less than a year after she was convicted of a similar offence.
Her arrest was part of a nationwide crackdown that resulted in the arrest of several other suspects, including a South African national, and the seizure of large consignments of illicit drugs, firearms and ammunition across multiple states.
In a statement issued on Sunday, October 11, 2026, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said operatives arrested Uloma on Wednesday, October 7, at her residence in Ite-Uzo, Umuaguma, Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.
According to the agency, she was allegedly found with methamphetamine and Colorado, a synthetic cannabis product, concealed around her waist beneath her wrapper.
The NDLEA said intelligence gathered by its operatives linked her residence to a drug distribution network allegedly operating in the area.
Uloma was first arrested on May 17, 2025, alongside her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom Uchechi. The operation reportedly led to the recovery of 50 grammes of methamphetamine, 522 grammes of skunk, 260 grammes of fresh cannabis leaves and 12 grammes of tramadol.
The agency said both women pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment or an alternative fine of ₦200,000 each. They reportedly paid the fines and regained their freedom before the latest arrest.
In a separate operation at the Port Harcourt International Airport in Omagwa, Rivers State, NDLEA operatives, working with the Nigeria Customs Service, arrested a South African national, Gebashe Sithandiwe Jessie, over the alleged trafficking of 32.74 kilogrammes of cannabis known as Thai Loud.
The 30 parcels of cannabis were reportedly concealed in two travel bags. The suspect had travelled from Thailand through Doha aboard a Qatar Airways flight, QR1431.
The NDLEA said she admitted to previously trafficking narcotics through other African countries and attempting to expand her activities to Port Harcourt.
At the Import Shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, operatives intercepted a pharmaceutical consignment arriving from Pakistan aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight.
The cargo, which had been placed under surveillance after its arrival on September 29, was examined on Tuesday, October 6. The inspection reportedly uncovered 354,000 tablets of Tapentadol, each containing 250mg, with a combined weight of 307.20 kilogrammes.
In another operation at the Lagos airport, NDLEA officers intercepted a consolidated cargo from the United Kingdom. A search of six Ghana-Must-Go bags uncovered 70 parcels of Colorado weighing 75.90 kilogrammes.
Investigations into the shipment led to the arrest of John Edrah, 54, a clearing agent, on September 30.
Operatives subsequently arrested Uber driver Taofiq Ajibola, 54, while he was allegedly attempting to retrieve one of the bags at a logistics firm in the Mafoluku area of Oshodi.
Adetunji Adebayo and clothing trader Kazeem Damola Dosunmu, 48, were also arrested after allegedly arriving to collect the remaining five bags.
The NDLEA said Ajibola linked the consignment to a UK-based associate identified as Lukman Sa’idu, while Dosunmu reportedly traced his shipment to another supplier in the United Kingdom identified only as Yusuf.
In Cross River State, operatives raided Iyala Nkun village in Ikom Local Government Area on Sunday, October 4, arresting 46-year-old Adama Inuwa.
The operation reportedly resulted in the seizure of 181 bags of cannabis weighing 1,100 kilogrammes, alongside 17.15 kilogrammes of cannabis seeds.
In Edo State, officers intercepted a black Toyota Camry at Otuo, Owan East Local Government Area, on Monday, October 5. The vehicle reportedly contained 1,049 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 702.83 kilogrammes.
Three suspects—Monday Orji, 52, Monday Lawal, 40, and Precious Uduegele, 20—were arrested in connection with the seizure.
Another operation at Asoro, off Sakponba Road in Benin City, led to the arrest of 26-year-old Ojugo Mercy, who was allegedly found with 989 grammes of Loud, 13 grammes of Colorado and 83 grammes of methamphetamine.
In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives arrested 21-year-old Happy Endurance at her hideout in the Shasha area of Akure on Monday, October 5. Officers reportedly recovered 29 bags of cannabis weighing 290 kilogrammes.
On the same day, another operation at an apartment in Oba-Ile, Akure, resulted in the arrest of 42-year-old Tunde Adebayo, with 35 bags of cannabis weighing 351 kilogrammes.
A joint operation involving the military and the NDLEA in Chanchanji village, Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State, on Friday, October 9, led to the arrest of Abdulrasheed Mohamed, 31, and Abubakar Saidu, 37.
The suspects were reportedly found with 166,200 tablets of tramadol, each containing 225mg, weighing 107 kilogrammes.
In Kano State, a stop-and-search operation along the Kano-Maiduguri Road led to the arrest of 32-year-old Yahaya Musa. Officers allegedly recovered 24,990 capsules of tramadol, 50,000 tablets of diazepam and 22,000 tablets of Exol-5 from him.
Similarly, NDLEA highway patrol teams intercepted 29-year-old Mohammed Musa along the Zaria-Kaduna Expressway in Kaduna State. The suspect was allegedly transporting 31 jumbo bags and 775 compressed blocks of skunk weighing a combined 1,027 kilogrammes.
In Lagos State, operatives arrested Musbau Balogun Adekunle in the Orile area on Tuesday, October 6. They reportedly recovered 32.51 kilogrammes of skunk and 52.65 kilogrammes of cannabis seeds, bringing the total seizure to 85.16 kilogrammes.
The nationwide operations also uncovered firearms and ammunition in Plateau State.
On Thursday, October 8, NDLEA operatives raided the residence of 45-year-old Christian Chukwudi Uju along Rukuba Road in Jos. In addition to 47 grammes of methamphetamine, officers reportedly recovered two pump-action rifles, one locally manufactured firearm, 199 live cartridges, five rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and one round of 9mm ammunition.
Beyond its enforcement activities, the agency continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, conducting drug-prevention sensitisation programmes at schools in Oyo, Niger, Kano, Lagos and Ogun states.
The institutions included Progressive Grammar School in Tede, Oyo State; Baptist High School in Lambata, Niger State; Madarasatul Tarbiyatul Islamiya in Galangalan Tudun Wada, Kano State; Ipara Senior and Junior Community Secondary School in Badagry, Lagos State; and Manbahu Ridwanullah Nursery and Primary School in Olomore, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Reacting to the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the commands involved in the arrests and seizures, praising their intelligence-led operations.
Marwa urged officers nationwide to sustain the momentum by combining effective drug-law enforcement with drug-prevention and public-awareness initiatives.