The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested an 83-year-old woman, Uloma Uchechi Sunday, for drug trafficking, marking her second conviction for the crime. According to NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, Sunday was arrested at her residence in Abia State with quantities of methamphetamine and Colorado, a synthetic cannabinoid, allegedly tied around her waist with a wrapper. The arrest followed intelligence indicating she operated a drug joint patronised by criminal elements.
Sunday had previously been arrested on May 17, 2025, alongside her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom Uchechi, at the same residence. The agency found them with 50 grammes of methamphetamine, 522 grammes of skunk, 260 grammes of fresh cannabis leaves, and 12 grammes of tramadol. Both women pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 each, which they paid, and were released. However, the older woman returned to the drug trade and allegedly established a drug joint at her residence.
In a separate operation, the NDLEA arrested a South African national, Gebashe Sithandiwe Jessie, at the Port Harcourt International Airport, with 32.74 kilogrammes of cannabis. The suspect, who arrived from Thailand through Doha, allegedly concealed the drugs in two travelling bags. Jessie admitted to previously trafficking drugs through other African countries and attempting to expand her route to Port Harcourt.
The NDLEA also recovered large consignments of illicit drugs at airports, along highways, and in residential locations across several states. At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, operatives intercepted 354,000 tablets of tapentadol, weighing 307.2 kilogrammes, from a shipment from Pakistan. A joint examination uncovered the consignment, which had been placed under surveillance after arriving on September 29.
In another operation at the airport, officers recovered 70 parcels of Colorado weighing 75.9 kilogrammes from a consolidated cargo shipment from the United Kingdom. A clearing agent, John Edrah, 54, was arrested on September 30. Other suspects, including Taofiq Ajibola, 54, an Uber driver, Adetunji Adebayo, and Kazeem Dosunmu, 48, a clothing trader, were also arrested.
Ajibola allegedly disclosed that the drugs had been sent by a UK-based associate, Lukman. The NDLEA's operations demonstrate its continued efforts to curb drug trafficking and interdict large consignments of illicit drugs. The agency's seizures and arrests reflect its commitment to disrupting the drug trade and bringing perpetrators to justice.
The NDLEA's recent operations have resulted in significant seizures and arrests, highlighting the agency's success in disrupting the drug trade. The arrests of Sunday, Jessie, Edrah, Ajibola, Adebayo, and Dosunmu demonstrate the agency's efforts to hold accountable those involved in the drug trade. The seizures of large quantities of cannabis, methamphetamine, and other drugs also underscore the agency's commitment to curbing the spread of illicit substances.
Key points
- The NDLEA arrested an 83-year-old woman for drug trafficking, marking her second conviction for the crime.
- The agency seized 32.74 kilogrammes of cannabis from a South African national at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
- The NDLEA intercepted 354,000 tablets of tapentadol, weighing 307.2 kilogrammes, from a shipment from Pakistan at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
