NDLEA Arrests 62-Year-Old US-Based Grandma With 9.45kg Loud, Physically Challenged Woman With Cannabis In Delta | Sahara Reporters

The arrests were among several operations conducted by the agency across the country, leading to the seizure of large quantities of illicit drugs and pharmaceutical opioids.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a physically challenged woman, Helen Bakporo Samson, with 6 kilogrammes of cannabis in Delta State and a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother, Anetor Gloria Ubong, with 9.45kg of high-grade cannabis known as loud at the Lagos airport.

The arrests were among several operations conducted by the agency across the country, leading to the seizure of large quantities of illicit drugs and pharmaceutical opioids.

According to a statement issued by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, Samson was arrested on Monday, October 19, at Enhere Junction in Warri, Delta State.

The agency said the 46-year-old woman was found with 6kg of skunk, a form of cannabis.

In a separate operation at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, operatives arrested Ubong, a 62-year-old Nigerian-American realtor based in Richmond, Texas, after she arrived on a United Airlines flight from Houston on Wednesday, October 21.

Ubong, who holds Nigerian and United States passports, was reportedly found with 9.45kg of loud concealed in one of her two checked-in boxes.

The NDLEA said a search of the luggage uncovered 18 parcels of the substance hidden in a box and covered with gift-wrapping paper.

During questioning, Ubong “claimed the box was delivered to her home in the US by her daughter and the daughter’s future brother-in-law, for onward delivery in Nigeria to her daughter’s fiancé, Jibola”.

The agency did not state whether the daughter, her future brother-in-law or the fiancé had been arrested in connection with the seizure.

The NDLEA also reported the arrest of a 51-year-old suspect, Peter Ugochukwu, in Warri, Delta State, with a large cache of pharmaceutical opioids.

According to the agency, the seizure included 29,350 capsules of tramadol, 6,620 tablets of tramadol 200mg, 4,116 bottles of codeine syrup, 11,340 tablets of Rohypnol, 3,500 tablets of diazepam, 300 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 200 ampoules of diazepam injection.

Quantities of tramadol 225mg, Molly and Cocodamol were also reportedly recovered.

The agency said Ugochukwu was transferred to its custody alongside a white Hummer bus by the Nigeria Police Force in Delta State.

In other operations, NDLEA operatives arrested a 41-year-old suspect, Eletu Rasheedat, in the Eti Osa area of Lagos on Friday, October 23.

The agency said officers recovered 5,820 pills of diazepam, 780 tablets of tramadol, 3.7kg of skunk and 230.25 litres of skuchies during the operation.

In Kano State, operatives arrested 30-year-old Murtala Lawan in the Gerawa area on Thursday, October 22, and seized 159 blocks of cannabis weighing 97.2kg.

In Taraba State, officers arrested 39-year-old Raiyanu Misa at the Lankaviri checkpoint in Yorro Local Government Area on Friday, October 23, with 95 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 60.175kg.

The same day, a suspect arrested at Dakka village in Bali Local Government Area was handed over to the agency by the police with 112 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 81.49kg.

In Niger State, 26-year-old Emmanuel Ekene was arrested on Monday, October 19, along the Sabo-Kainji road in Borgu Local Government Area with 64,000 pills of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam.

In Bauchi State, NDLEA officers arrested 45-year-old Jamilu Mustapha, also known as Last Card, at Nasaru Town in Ningi Local Government Area on Wednesday, October 21. The operation reportedly led to the seizure of 379kg of cannabis packed in seven large sacks.

In Ondo State, officers raided a farm at Board-Ala in Akure South on Tuesday, October 20, following intelligence and recovered 56 bags of cannabis weighing 583kg.

In Edo State, two cannabis farms in Ugbada Forest, Uzebba, Owan West Local Government Area, were destroyed on Sunday, October 18. The agency estimated the farms’ yield at 2,023.14kg and said officers burnt 450kg of processed cannabis at the site while taking another 97kg as exhibits.

A 42-year-old suspect, Mary Edokhai, was also arrested with 35kg of cannabis in a related operation at Ewe community in Owan West.

In Oyo State, NDLEA operatives arrested Fajana Dada Oluwaseyi, 41, in Adamasingba, Ibadan, on Monday, October 19. The agency said he had earlier escaped arrest after officers seized 197.8kg of cannabis from his residence on September 16.

The NDLEA said its commands also continued public sensitisation activities under its War Against Drug Abuse campaign, including lectures at schools and community institutions across several states.

The agency’s chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations and urged them to sustain efforts against drug trafficking and substance abuse.