Drug Trafficking: NDLEA arrests great-grandma dealing in cocaine, intercepts meth, skunk, opioids in states, FCT

*Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency nab Mrs. Esther Ogunmabo, a 101-year-old great-grandmother, who reportedly disclosed that her daughter living in Lagos supplied her with cocaine hiiden in Fufu for onward sale to local consumers of the illicit substance, in Ilisan Remo, in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, South West Nigeria

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Determined to make more money even in the twilight of her life, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested Mrs. Esther Ogunmabo, a 101-year-old great-grandmother and illicit drug suspect, for allegedly selling cocaine (cannabis sativa), in Ilisan Remo, in Ikenne Local Government Area (LGA) of Ogun State, South-West Nigeria.

The NDLEA disclosed its operatives apprehended the accused drug-dealing great-grandma August 15, 2026, with 90 grammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis.

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The anti-narcotics regulatory also noted that the suspected drug trafficker she admitted selling in small quantities.

NDLEA stated the suspected centenarian as well told investigators that she ventured into the illicit drug trade after a fire destroyed her provisions shop.

Mr. Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA, disclosed this development in a statement Sunday, August 23, 2026, in Abuja, FCT.

How Great-grandma received supplies of illicit substance for sale

The accused drug trafficker reportedly said her daughter, who lives in Lagos, supplied her with cannabis every four days for onward sale to local consumers of cocaine, in Ilisan Remo.

The agency, in the statement, noted that the great-grandma’s arrest, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NDLEA, directed that she be granted bail and subjected to counselling in view of her advanced age.

However, the suspected illicit drug dealer’s daughter was subsequently, arrested in connection with the alleged drug trade, said the NDLEA.

According to the anti-narcotics regulatory agency, in a separate operation in Akwa Ibom State, South-South Nigeria, its operatives intercepted a wooden boat allegedly conveying illicit drugs to fishing settlements in Cameroon and arrested three suspects in the process.

Babafemi further stated that the operation yielded about 42.622kg of narcotics, including 42.06kg of skunk, other quantities of cannabis and 20 grammes of cocaine concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava Fufu.

The agency further recorded what it described as its first seizure of illicit drugs shipped from Thailand through Nigeria’s maritime corridor.

The NDLEA said the two containers contained cannabis indica, popularly known as Loud, and were intercepted at the Apapa and Lekki Ports, in Lagos.

The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy indicated that at the Apapa Port, a container declared to contain dry fish, rice, vehicle spare parts, turmeric soap and inverter batteries was found to contain 1,090.5kg of the illicit substance.

Yet, another 400kg was recovered from the second container at the Lekki Deep Sea Port, bringing the combined quantity seized from the two containers to more than 1.49 tonnes.

The NDLEA put the Estimated Street Value (ESV) of the seized consignments at over N4.4 billion.

Both containers originated from Thailand, indicating the emergence of a new maritime route allegedly being exploited by drug syndicates to move synthetic cannabis into Nigeria, the NDLEA said.

Beyond the maritime seizures, the agency said its operatives recovered methamphetamine, skunk, opioids, and other illicit substances in intelligence-led operations across Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Oyo, Kwara, Kano, Abia and the Federal Capital Territory.

Operatives recover meth, skunk, opioids, and others across states, FCT

The latest operations reflect the agency’s intensified efforts to disrupt drug trafficking and distribution networks across the country, with seizures involving different methods of concealment and transportation.

Among the methods uncovered were the concealment of cocaine in food items, and the use of containers declared to be carrying legitimate goods to disguise large consignments of illicit drugs