The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has rearrested an 83-year-old convicted drug offender, Uloma Uchechi Sunday, after operatives allegedly found quantities of methamphetamine and Colorado concealed around her waist, barely a year after she was prosecuted and convicted for a similar offence. According to the Agency, Uloma was arrested on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at her home in Ite-Uzo, Umuaguma, Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.
This is not Uloma's first encounter with the Agency, as she was previously arrested on May 17, 2025, at her residence in the same village alongside her daughter, Chisom Uchechi, 32. Operatives recovered 50 grams of methamphetamine, 522 grams of skunk, 260 grams of fresh cannabis leaves and 12 grams of tramadol during the operation. The mother and daughter pleaded guilty and were subsequently sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 each.
The NDLEA alleged that Uloma subsequently returned to the illicit drug trade and expanded her operation by establishing a drug joint where she allegedly harboured dangerous characters. In a related operation, a South African woman, Gebashe Sithandiwe Jessie, was arrested at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State, with 30 parcels of Thai Loud weighing 32.74 kilograms, allegedly trafficked from Thailand.
The NDLEA also made significant seizures across Lagos, Taraba, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Cross River, Ondo and Plateau states. In Lagos, operatives intercepted a consignment of nine cartons shipped from Pakistan, which uncovered 354,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg weighing 307.20kg. Another operation at the Lagos airport led to the arrest of a clearing agent, John Edrah, 54, in connection with a shipment of six Ghana-Must-Go bags containing 70 parcels of Colorado weighing 75.90kg.
In Cross River State, NDLEA operatives raided Iyala Nkun village in Ikom Local Government Area, leading to the arrest of Adama Inuwa, 46, with 181 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 1,100kg and another 17.15kg of cannabis seeds. In Edo State, operatives intercepted a black Toyota Camry allegedly conveying 1,049 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 702.83kg, leading to the arrest of Monday Orji, 52; Monday Lawal, 40; and Precious Uduegele, 20.
The operations extended to Taraba State, where NDLEA operatives, supported by soldiers, arrested Abdulrasheed Mohamed, 31, and Abubakar Saidu, 37, at Chanchanji village, Wukari Local Government Area. They were allegedly found with 166,200 tablets of tramadol. The NDLEA also made arrests in Ondo State, where operatives trailed a 21-year-old suspect, Happy Endurance, to her hideout in the Shasha area of Akure, recovering 29 bags of cannabis weighing 290kg.
The Director, Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the details of the operations in a statement on Sunday. The Agency's efforts reflect its continued commitment to combating drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria.
Key points
- The NDLEA rearrested an 83-year-old convicted drug offender, Uloma Uchechi Sunday, with quantities of methamphetamine and Colorado.
- A South African woman was arrested at Port Harcourt airport with 32.74kg of Thai Loud allegedly trafficked from Thailand.
- The NDLEA made significant seizures across Lagos, Taraba, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Cross River, Ondo and Plateau states.
