An 83-year-old woman previously convicted of drug trafficking has been arrested again, this time with methamphetamine and Colorado, as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) reports major seizures across several states. These include the arrest of a South African woman with 32.74kg of cannabis at Port Harcourt airport.
NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said in a Sunday statement that the octogenarian, Uloma Uchechi Sunday, was arrested last Wednesday at her home in Ite-Uzo, Umuaguma, Obingwa LGA, Abia State. The drugs, methamphetamine and Colorado (a synthetic cannabinoid), were allegedly tied around her waist with a wrapper. Her arrest followed intelligence that she ran a drug joint patronised by criminals terrorising the community.
She had earlier been arrested on May 17, 2025, with her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom Uchechi, at the same address, with methamphetamine, skunk, cannabis leaves, and tramadol.
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Both pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment or a ₦200,000 fine each, which they paid before being released. The agency says she then returned to the trade and set up a drug joint at her home.
At Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, NDLEA operatives working with the Nigeria Customs Service arrested South African national Gebashe Sithandiwe Jessie with 30 parcels of a cannabis strain called Thai Loud, weighing 32.74kg. She arrived from Thailand via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight, with the drugs allegedly hidden in two travelling bags. The agency says she admitted to earlier trafficking through other African countries and to trying to expand her route to Port Harcourt.
Other seizures
- Lagos (Murtala Muhammed Airport): 354,000 tablets of tapentadol (250mg each), weighing 307.2kg, in nine cartons from Pakistan on a Royal Air Maroc flight. The shipment arrived September 29 and was found in a joint examination last Tuesday. Separately, 70 parcels of Colorado weighing 75.9kg were recovered from six Ghana-Must-Go bags in a cargo shipment from the UK. Four suspects were arrested: clearing agent John Edrah (54), Uber driver Taofiq Ajibola (54), Adetunji Adebayo, and clothing trader Kazeem Dosunmu (48). Ajibola and Dosunmu reportedly named UK-based associates, Lukman Sa’idu and Yusuf, as the sources.
- Lagos (Orile): Musbau Balogun Adekunle was arrested with 32.51kg of skunk and 52.65kg of seeds, 85.16kg in total.
- Cross River: A raid on Iyala Nkun village in Ikom LGA on October 4 led to the arrest of Adama Inuwa (46) and the recovery of 1,100kg of cannabis in 181 bags, plus 17.15kg of seeds.
- Edo: A Toyota Camry intercepted at Otuo, Owan East LGA, was carrying 702.83kg of compressed cannabis. Monday Orji (52), Monday Lawal (40), and Precious Uduegele (20) were arrested. Another suspect, Ojugo Mercy (26), was arrested in Benin City with Loud, Colorado, and methamphetamine.
- Ondo: In Akure, Happy Endurance (21) was arrested with 290kg of cannabis, and Tunde Adebayo (42) with 351kg.
- Taraba: Abdulrasheed Mohamed (31) and Abubakar Saidu (37) were arrested at Chanchanji village, Wukari LGA, with 166,200 tablets of tramadol (225mg each), weighing 107kg.
- Kano: Yahaya Musa (32) was arrested on the Kano-Maiduguri Road with 24,990 capsules of tramadol, 50,000 tablets of diazepam, and 22,000 tablets of Exol-5.
- Kaduna: Mohammed Musa (29) was arrested on the Zaria-Kaduna Expressway with 1,027kg of skunk.
- Plateau: A raid on Christian Uju’s (45) home in Jos recovered 47g of methamphetamine, two pump-action rifles, a locally made gun, 199 live cartridges, and other ammunition.
The NDLEA also said its commands continued public enlightenment campaigns under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative, targeting students, worshippers, workers, and communities. Chairman and CEO Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.) commended the officers of the commands involved for professional, intelligence-driven operations and urged personnel nationwide to keep combining enforcement with preventive education and public sensitisation.
