Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have recorded major breakthroughs in their nationwide crackdown on illicit drug trafficking, arrested a 101-year-old woman for alleged cannabis dealing, intercepting cocaine concealed in cassava flour popularly known as fufu, and seizing more than N4.4 billion worth of Thai loud at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos.

According to director of media and advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, the operations also resulted in the recovery of methamphetamine, skunk, tramadol, codeine, diazepam, flunitrazepam and other illicit substances across several states, while exposing a possible new maritime route for the smuggling of synthetic cannabis from Thailand into Nigeria.

In Ogun state, NDLEA operatives arrested 101-year-old Esther Ogunmabo at Ilisan on August 15, 2026 with 90 grammes of skunk packaged in retail sachets.

The centenarian reportedly told investigators that she sold the substance in small quantities after her provisions shop was destroyed by fire.

She allegedly said one of her daughters based in Lagos supplied her every four days.

Due to her advanced age, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), directed that she be granted bail and placed on counselling, while her daughter was arrested.

In Akwa Ibom, operatives intercepted a wooden boat allegedly conveying drugs to fishing settlements in Cameroon.

Three suspects were arrested, with 42.622kg of narcotics recovered, including 20 grammes of cocaine cleverly concealed inside a wrap of fufu.

At the Lagos ports, two containers from Laem Chabang, Thailand, yielded 1,490.5kg of Thai Loud valued at over N4.4 billion.

The Apapa container, declared to contain assorted goods, concealed 1,090.5kg of the drug in 54 cartons, while 400kg was recovered from a container at Lekki Deep Sea Port, where A4 paper was allegedly used as cover.

In Abuja, 24,410 tramadol pills concealed in three waybill packages inside a Hummer bus travelling from Enugu to Zuba were intercepted, leading to the arrest of 28-year-old Sunday Eze in Kontagora, Niger state.

The NDLEA also destroyed 10,000kg of skunk cultivated across four hectares at Ijare Forest, Ondo state, and recovered another 210kg in a separate operation.

In Kwara state, 1.325kg of methamphetamine and cannabis were recovered from a Toyota Starlet, leading to the arrest of 22-year-old Muhammadu Usman.

In Oyo state, 65-year-old Adebayo Kaosarat was arrested with 4.68kg of assorted illicit substances, including Loud, tramadol, codeine, diazepam and flunitrazepam.

At Seme, Lagos, three members of the Tijjani family were arrested with 48kg of skunk, while Kano operatives recovered 73.3kg from 31-year-old Chibuzor Madueke.

In Abia state, a raid on the residence of Ikechukwu Anthony Iwuno yielded 14.4kg of Loud, 2.3kg of Colorado, tramadol and Rohypnol.

Meanwhile, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, religious institutions and communities across the country.

Commending the various commands, Marwa urged personnel to sustain intelligence-led operations against drug trafficking while strengthening prevention and public awareness efforts.