The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 101-year-old great-grandmother for allegedly selling cannabis in Ilisan, Ogun State, as operatives also intercepted cocaine hidden inside a large wrap of cassava fufu in Akwa Ibom State.
The arrests and seizures were part of a series of operations carried out by the anti-drug agency across several states, leading to the recovery of cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, opioids and other illicit substances.
The NDLEA said the centenarian was arrested on August 15, 2026, with 90 grammes of skunk, a strong form of cannabis.
According to the agency, the woman admitted that she was selling the substance in small quantities to customers in the community.
The 101-year-old reportedly told investigators that she entered the illegal drug trade after a fire destroyed her provisions shop, leaving her without her previous means of livelihood.
She also reportedly disclosed that her daughter, who lives in Lagos, supplied her with cannabis every four days for distribution to customers.
Following her arrest, the NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), directed that the woman be granted bail and given counselling because of her advanced age.
Her daughter was subsequently arrested in connection with the alleged drug business.
The arrest of the centenarian was one of the unusual developments recorded in the latest operations announced by the agency.
In Akwa Ibom State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a wooden boat allegedly carrying illicit drugs to fishing settlements in Cameroon.
Three suspects were arrested during the operation, while about 42.622 kilogrammes of narcotics were recovered.
The drugs included 42.06kg of skunk, other quantities of cannabis and 20 grammes of cocaine.
The cocaine, according to the agency, had been concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava fufu in an attempt to disguise it and move it without attracting attention.
The seizure highlights the different methods used by drug traffickers to conceal illegal substances during transportation.
The agency said the boat operation was part of its efforts to monitor waterways and prevent criminal networks from using Nigeria’s maritime routes to move illicit drugs across the country and to other destinations.
The NDLEA also announced what it described as its first seizure of illicit drugs shipped from Thailand through Nigeria’s maritime corridor.
Two containers containing cannabis indica, popularly known as Loud, were intercepted at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos.
At the Apapa Port, operatives discovered 1,090.5kg of the illicit substance in a container that had been declared to contain dry fish, rice, vehicle spare parts, turmeric soap and inverter batteries.
A second container intercepted at the Lekki Deep Sea Port was found to contain another 400kg of the substance.
The combined quantity recovered from the two containers was therefore more than 1.49 tonnes.
The NDLEA estimated the street value of the two consignments at more than N4.4 billion.
The agency said investigations indicated that both containers originated from Thailand, raising concerns about the emergence of a new route being used by international drug trafficking groups to move synthetic cannabis into Nigeria.
The development is significant because the use of legitimate cargo to conceal large quantities of drugs makes detection more difficult and could allow criminal networks to move substantial consignments through the country’s busy ports.
The latest seizures also show the wide range of methods being used by traffickers, from the use of food items such as fufu to the concealment of drugs in containers declared as legitimate commercial goods.
The NDLEA said its operations were based on intelligence gathered by its officers and involved several states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Other substances recovered during the operations included methamphetamine, skunk, opioids and other illicit drugs.
The agency said arrests and seizures were recorded in Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Oyo, Kwara, Kano, Abia and the FCT.
The latest figures form part of the NDLEA’s wider campaign against drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria. The agency has in recent years increased surveillance at airports, seaports, land borders and waterways while also targeting local distribution networks.
The use of Nigeria as a transit point for international drug trafficking has remained a major concern for law enforcement authorities. Drug syndicates often use legitimate trade routes and conceal illegal substances among ordinary cargo in an effort to defeat security checks.
Nigeria’s ports, particularly those serving Lagos, are therefore key areas of focus for anti-narcotics operations because of the large volume of goods entering the country.
The discovery of more than 1.49 tonnes of cannabis in two containers also demonstrates the scale of the business being targeted by the NDLEA. Authorities have repeatedly warned that the illegal drug trade is increasingly organised, involving networks that source drugs from outside the country and distribute them locally or move them to other destinations.
The agency’s latest operations also point to the continuing problem of cannabis production and distribution within communities.
Cannabis remains one of the most commonly seized illicit drugs in Nigeria, with NDLEA operations frequently leading to the destruction of farms, arrests of cultivators and recovery of large quantities of processed cannabis.
The arrest of the 101-year-old woman, however, brought an unusual human dimension to the agency’s latest crackdown.
While the NDLEA accused her of selling cannabis, the agency’s decision to grant her bail and provide counselling reflects consideration of her age and circumstances.
Her reported account that she turned to the illicit trade after losing her provisions shop to fire also raises wider questions about poverty, vulnerability and the involvement of people in illegal activities after losing legitimate sources of income.
The arrest of her daughter will now form part of the agency’s investigation into how the cannabis was supplied and distributed in Ilisan.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrests and seizures in a statement issued on Sunday.
The agency said investigations into the various cases were continuing, with suspects expected to face prosecution where sufficient evidence is established.
The NDLEA has continued to urge members of the public to provide useful information about drug trafficking activities in their communities.
The agency has also warned that traffickers are constantly changing their methods of operation, making intelligence gathering and cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the public important in tackling the trade.
The latest seizures underline that challenge, with traffickers allegedly using waterways, seaports, food items and ordinary commercial containers to transport illegal drugs.
From a 101-year-old alleged street-level cannabis seller in Ogun to tonnes of synthetic cannabis intercepted at Lagos ports, the operations show the different levels at which Nigeria’s drug problem is being fought.