NDLEA Re-arrests 83-year-old Woman 17 Months After Jail Term, Seizes Drugs, Rifles Nationwide
Daud Olatunji
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has re-arrested an 83-year-old woman, Uloma Sunday, for alleged drug trafficking in Abia State, about 17 months after she was convicted alongside her daughter for drug-related offences.
The latest arrest was part of a series of intelligence-led operations by the agency, which also led to the arrest of a South African woman allegedly trafficking 32.74 kilogrammes of cannabis, the interception of 354,000 tablets of tapentadol imported from Pakistan, and the recovery of large quantities of illicit drugs and firearms across several states.
The NDLEA also reported seizures of more than 3,000 kilogrammes of cannabis in separate operations in Cross River, Edo, Ondo, Kaduna and Lagos states, among other drug-related arrests and recoveries nationwide.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the operations in a statement on Sunday.
Babafemi said operatives re-arrested Sunday on October 7 at her residence in Ite-Uzo, Umuaguma, Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State, following intelligence reports that she allegedly operated a drug joint frequented by criminal elements terrorising the community.
According to him, the octogenarian was allegedly found with consignments of methamphetamine and Colorado, a synthetic cannabis product, concealed around her waist with a wrapper.
The agency said Sunday was first arrested on May 17, 2025, alongside her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom Uchechi, at the same residence.
During the earlier operation, NDLEA operatives reportedly recovered 50 grammes of methamphetamine, 522 grammes of skunk, 260 grammes of fresh cannabis leaves and 12 grammes of tramadol.
Babafemi said the mother and daughter pleaded guilty to the offences and were sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment or an option of a N200,000 fine each.
He added that both women paid the fines and were released before the older woman was arrested again.
South African woman arrested with 32.7kg cannabis
In another operation, NDLEA operatives, working with the Nigeria Customs Service, arrested a 30-year-old South African woman, Gebashe Sithandiwe Jessie, at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State, over the alleged importation of 32.74 kilogrammes of Thai Loud, a strain of cannabis.
Babafemi said the 30 parcels of the substance were concealed in two travelling bags belonging to the suspect, who arrived from Thailand through Doha, Qatar, aboard Qatar Airways flight QR1431.
He said the suspect allegedly confessed to trafficking drugs through other African countries before attempting to extend her operations to Port Harcourt.
The agency also recorded a major seizure at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, where operatives intercepted 354,000 tablets of tapentadol weighing 307.20 kilogrammes in a shipment of nine cartons from Pakistan.
According to Babafemi, the consignment arrived on September 29 aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight and was placed under surveillance before a joint examination on October 6 uncovered the tablets.
In a separate operation involving a shipment from the United Kingdom, operatives intercepted 70 parcels of Colorado weighing 75.90 kilogrammes concealed in six Ghana-Must-Go bags.
The shipment reportedly arrived on September 29, leading to the arrest of several suspects linked to its collection and clearance.
Babafemi said a 54-year-old clearing agent, John Edrah, was arrested on September 30, followed by Taofiq Ajibola, also 54, an Uber driver, who was allegedly caught while collecting one of the bags at a logistics company in Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos.
