NDLEA intercepts cocaine hidden in fufu on boat bound for Cameroon

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made multiple arrests and seizures across Nigeria, targeting the illegal drug trade. In Ogun State, a 101-year-old woman named Esther Ogunmabo was arrested for dealing in cannabis, commonly known as skunk. She had 90 grammes of the drug packed in retail sachets and claimed she sold it to residents after her shop was destroyed by fire.

Her daughter, living in Lagos, allegedly supplied the cannabis to her every four days. Ogunmabo was granted bail and referred for counseling due to her advanced age. In Akwa Ibom State, a wooden boat intercepted on the high seas was found to be carrying 42.622kg of narcotics, including 20 grammes of cocaine concealed inside a large fufu.

The suspects involved were arrested, and the operation was conducted in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service. At Apapa Port and Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos, substantial amounts of Thai cannabis, known as Loud, were intercepted and seized, marking the agency's first recorded interception of illicit drugs shipped from Thailand via maritime routes.

At FCT, 24,410 tramadol capsules were intercepted inside a Hummer bus traveling from Enugu to Zuba. In Ondo and Kwara States, large quantities of cannabis and methamphetamine were seized, while in Oyo State, a 22-year-old suspect was arrested. In Abia State, 14.4kg of Loud, 2.3kg of Colorado, and various other drugs were recovered from a residence.

The NDLEA also continued its War Against Drug Abuse campaigns, urging personnel to sustain their approach to drug control.