In a series of dramatic drug enforcement operations across the country, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested an 82 year old woman, her daughter, a convicted 80 year old trafficker, and a polytechnic student, while intercepting drugs worth over N3.2 billion at major seaports.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi disclosed the arrests and seizures in a statement released on Sunday, May 18, 2025, highlighting what he described as a “multi-generational drug trafficking operation.”
On Saturday, May 17, NDLEA operatives raided the residence of 82 year old Mrs. Uloma Uchechi Sunday in Umuaguma Ntigha Uzor village, Abia State, where they discovered quantities of methamphetamine, tramadol, and skunk (a potent strain of cannabis), along with N130,600 in cash. Her 32 year old daughter, Chisom Uchechi, was also arrested.
In a startling confession, Mrs. Uchechi admitted that she and her daughter inherited the illicit trade from her son, who died two years ago. According to officials, the syndicate attempted to smuggle cocaine concealed in traditional Nigerian male and female headwear, fila and gele, a tactic authorities say is becoming increasingly common.
In a separate incident, NDLEA re-arrested 80 year old Ashiru Ayuba in Kaduna State. Ayuba, a known drug dealer who previously served a 10 year sentence between 2014 and 2024, was apprehended on Wednesday, May 14, in the Barazana Street, Dogarawa area of Sabon Gari Local Government Area.
Officers recovered 2.3 kilograms of skunk, neatly packaged in retail sizes. The octogenarian reportedly told investigators he had been involved in drug trafficking for over 46 years.
Meanwhile, in Kwara State, 26 year old Ibrahim Oladimeji Abdulateef, a Higher National Diploma (HND) level one student of Laboratory Science Technology at Kwara State Polytechnic, was caught with 650 grams of “Loud,” a high-grade strain of cannabis. The substance had been measured out into 149 cups, allegedly for distribution to fellow students.
The crackdown extended to Nigeria’s port infrastructure, where two massive seizures were made. At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State, NDLEA agents working alongside customs officials and other security agencies intercepted a container carrying three million pills of tapentadol and carisoprodol royal 225mg. The drugs, with an estimated street value of N2.1 billion, were confiscated on Wednesday, May 14.
Similarly, at the Apapa Seaport in Lagos, on Tuesday, May 13, NDLEA officers uncovered a watch-listed container falsely declared to contain car parts from India. Upon joint inspection, 169,800 bottles of codeine syrup, with a street value exceeding N1.1 billion, were discovered hidden within the shipment.
The NDLEA reiterated its commitment to dismantling drug networks across Nigeria, regardless of age or status. “From teenagers to octogenarians, the drug trade cuts across generations,” Babafemi said. “We will not relent in tracking, exposing, and prosecuting those who endanger the health and safety of our society.”
Authorities have confirmed that investigations are ongoing, and all suspects will face charges in accordance with Nigerian drug laws.
