The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has rearrested an 83-year-old woman, Uloma Uchechi Sunday, barely a year after she was convicted of drug-related offences, while also arresting a South African woman with 32.74kg of cannabis at the Port Harcourt International Airport.

The arrests formed part of a series of intelligence-led operations in which the agency seized large consignments of illicit drugs across several states, including Lagos, Rivers, Abia, Taraba, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Cross River, Ondo and Plateau.

The NDLEA said its operatives arrested Uloma on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at her residence in Ite-Uzo, Umuaguma, Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State, after receiving intelligence that she allegedly operated a drug joint frequented by criminal elements.

According to the agency, quantities of methamphetamine and Colorado, a synthetic cannabinoid, were found concealed around her waist with a wrapper.

Uloma was first arrested on May 17, 2025, alongside her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom Uchechi, at the same residence. The agency said the operatives recovered 50g of methamphetamine, 522g of skunk, 260g of fresh cannabis leaves and 12g of tramadol from them.
Both women pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment or a fine of ₦200,000 each. They paid the fines and were released.

The agency alleged that Uloma subsequently returned to the drug trade and established a drug joint at her residence.

In a separate operation at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State, NDLEA operatives working with the Nigeria Customs Service arrested a South African national, Gebashe Sithandiwe Jessie, with 30 parcels of Thai Loud, a cannabis strain, weighing 32.74kg.

The suspect reportedly arrived from Thailand through Doha aboard Qatar Airways flight QR1431. The agency said she admitted to previously trafficking drugs through other African countries and attempting to extend her operations to Port Harcourt.

At the Import Shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, operatives intercepted nine cartons of pharmaceutical consignments shipped from Pakistan aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight.

The shipment, which arrived on September 29 and was placed under surveillance, was examined jointly on October 6. The operation uncovered 354,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg weighing 307.20kg.

In another operation at the Lagos airport, officers intercepted a consolidated cargo from the United Kingdom that arrived on September 29. Six Ghana-Must-Go bags contained 70 parcels of Colorado weighing 75.90kg.

A clearing agent, John Edrah, 54, was arrested on September 30. Other suspects arrested subsequently included Taofiq Ajibola, 54, an Uber driver, who allegedly collected one of the bags at a logistics company in Mafoluku, Oshodi; Adetunji Adebayo; and Kazeem Damola Dosunmu, 48, a clothing trader, who allegedly came for the remaining five bags.

The NDLEA said Ajibola identified a UK-based associate, Lukman Sa’idu, as the sender of the drugs, while Dosunmu said his consignment came from another UK-based individual identified as Yusuf.

In Cross River State, a raid on Iyala Nkun village in Ikom Local Government Area on Sunday, October 4, led to the arrest of Adama Inuwa, 46. Operatives recovered 181 bags of cannabis weighing 1,100kg and 17.15kg of cannabis seeds.

In Edo State, officers intercepted a black Toyota Camry at Otuo, Owan East Local Government Area, on October 5. The vehicle was conveying 1,049 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 702.83kg. Three suspects — Monday Orji, 52; Monday Lawal, 40; and Precious Uduegele, 20 — were arrested in connection with the seizure.

Another operation in Benin City led to the arrest of Ojugo Mercy, 26, at Asoro, off Sakponba Road, with 989g of Loud, 13g of Colorado and 83g of methamphetamine.

In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives arrested Happy Endurance, 21, at her hideout in the Shasha area of Akure on October 5, recovering 29 bags of cannabis weighing 290kg. On the same day, officers raided an apartment in Oba-Ile, Akure, where they arrested Tunde Adebayo, 42, and seized 35 bags of cannabis weighing 351kg.

In Taraba State, operatives backed by soldiers arrested Abdulrasheed Mohamed, 31, and Abubakar Saidu, 37, at Chanchanji village, Wukari Local Government Area, on October 9. They recovered 166,200 tablets of tramadol 225mg weighing 107kg.

A stop-and-search operation along the Kano-Maiduguri Road in Kano State on the same day led to the arrest of Yahaya Musa, 32, with 24,990 capsules of tramadol, 50,000 tablets of diazepam and 22,000 tablets of Exol-5.

In Kaduna State, officers on patrol along the Zaria-Kaduna Expressway arrested Mohammed Musa, 29, with 31 jumbo bags and 775 blocks of skunk weighing a combined 1,027kg.

In Lagos, a suspect, Musbau Balogun Adekunle, was arrested in Orile on October 6 with 32.51kg of skunk and 52.65kg of cannabis seeds, bringing the total seizure to 85.16kg.

The agency also recovered firearms and ammunition during a raid on the residence of Christian Chukwudi Uju, 45, at Rukuba Road, Jos, Plateau State, on October 8. The items seized included 47g of methamphetamine, two pump-action rifles, one locally made gun, 199 live cartridges, five rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and one round of 9mm ammunition.

Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaign in schools, religious centres, workplaces and communities. Recent activities included lectures at schools in Oyo, Ebonyi, Niger, Kano, Lagos and Ogun states.

The agency’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers of the affected commands for what he described as professional and intelligence-driven operations. He urged personnel nationwide to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control.

The NDLEA said the operations reflected its continued efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks and curb the distribution of illicit substances across the country.