– N4.4bn worth of Loud seized at Apapa, Lekki ports; recovers consignments of meth, skunk, opioids in sweeps across Seme, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Oyo, Kwara, Kano, Abia and FCT
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have recorded significant breakthroughs across the country’s land and maritime borders, including the arrest of a 101-year-old great grandmother for dealing in illicit drug, the interception of cocaine concealed in edible cassava flour popularly known as fufu, and the seizure of large consignments of Loud, a synthetic cannabis valued at over N4.4 billion at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos.
In a rare and startling development, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, 15th August 2026, arrested a 101-year-old woman, Esther Ogunmabo, in Ilisan, Ogun state, with retail sachets of skunk, a strain of cannabis weighing 90 grams, which she claims she sells to locals.
The centenarian told operatives that she resorted to the illicit drug trade after her provisions shop was razed by fire, adding that one of her daughters, who resides in Lagos, arranges the supply of the substance to her every four days, which she in turn sold in bits.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) has however directed that the suspect be granted bail and placed on counselling because of her advanced age, while her daughter has been arrested.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives in Akwa Ibom state acting on credible intelligence, on Friday, 21st August intercepted a wooden boat on the high seas conveying illicit drugs to fishing settlements in the Republic of Cameroon. Three suspects who were arrested on board the boat, which was heading to Ine Isu, Ine Mbah and Ine Ikot Itie Udung fishing ports in Cameroon, include: Etima Effiong Eekpo, 29, caught with 1.120kg skunk; Otobong Eyoh Etukudoh, 33, who had 42.060kg of skunk in his possession; and 27-year-old Kingsley Effiong John, who was found with 20grams of cocaine cleverly concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava fufu, alongside 435grams of skunk. A total of 42.622kg of narcotics was recovered from the trio.
In the nation’s maritime space, the Agency recorded its first-ever seizure of illicit drugs shipped from Thailand through the maritime corridor, following the interception of two containers of cannabis indica, also known as Loud, at the Apapa and Lekki ports, with a combined street value put at over N4.4 billion.
Both containers were loaded at the Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand, underscoring the emergence of a new trafficking route being exploited by drug syndicates to smuggle synthetic cannabis into the country.
At the Apapa Port, a container, declared to be conveying dry fish, rice, vehicle spare parts, turmeric soap and inverter batteries, was found, during a joint examination of the shipment on Friday 21st August by NDLEA, Customs and others, to contain 1,090.5kg of Thai Loud packed in 54 cartons comprising 2,181 sachets of 500 grams each.
At the Lekki Deep Sea Port, a similar container, which had been placed on the Agency’s watchlist and monitored by its Marine Special Operations Unit, was jointly examined on Wednesday, 19th August. Of the seven pallets found in the container wrapped in black nylon, four were confirmed to be laced with Thai Loud, yielding 96 cartons made up of 400 parcels weighing a total of 400kg. The remaining three pallets contained 798 rims of A4 paper, which had been used as cover for the consignment.
In the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, NDLEA operatives on Saturday 22nd August intercepted three waybill packages containing 24,410 pills of tramadol capsules inside a hummer bus travelling from Enugu to Zuba. A follow-up operation conducted in Niger State led to the arrest of the owner of the consignment, Sunday Eze, 28, in Kontagora, after which he was transferred to Abuja.
Operatives in Ondo State on Wednesday 19th August raided a cannabis farm at Ijare forest, Ifedore Local Government Area, following the earlier arrest of three suspected cannabis planters at the same location on 16th August. The team destroyed a total of 10,000kg of skunk cultivated across four hectares of the forest. In a separate operation in the state, operatives same day at Ita-Ogbolu, Akure North LGA, recovered 210kg skunk and a Toyota Camry car with registration number AGL 223 JH belonging to Sylvester Dibiagu Anthony, who is currently at large.
In Kwara state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Ogbomosho-Ilorin expressway, Ilorin on Friday 21st August intercepted a Toyota Starlet car without a registration number. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 1.325kg of methamphetamine, wrapped in black nylon bags, alongside quantities of cannabis sativa. One suspect, Muhammadu Usman, 22, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
A 65-year-old woman, Adebayo Kaosarat, was arrested at Akobo-Ojuirin area of Ibadan, Oyo state on Friday 21st August with a cocktail of substances comprising 1.795kg of Scottish Loud, 1.66kg of tramadol, 600g of codeine syrup, 125g of diazepam and 50g of flunitrazepam, totalling 4.68kg.
A raid at Hadeija road, Kano, on Monday 17th August led to the arrest of Chibuzor Madueke, 31, with 98 blocks of skunk weighing 73.3kg recovered from him, while a similar operation by NDLEA operatives at Seme, Badagry area of Lagos led to the arrest of three family members: Nasiru Tijjani, 52; Moshood Tijjani, 27; and Salami Tijjani, 27, at Ashipa area, near the Seme border, with 48kg of skunk.
In Abia state, NDLEA officers on Thursday 20th August raided the residence of Ikechukwu Anthony Iwuno, 36, at Umuobia Olokoro area of Umuahia South LGA, where 14.4kg Loud, 2.3kg Colorado, 386grams of tramadol and 134grams of rohypnol were recovered.
With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Umar Bn Khattab College for Islamic Studies, Ungogo LGA, Kano; Markaz Al-Furqan Centre of Islamic and Arabic Teaching, Kishi, Oyo state; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi state; Mu’assasah Tahfizui Qur’an Islamiya School, Ibi, Taraba; and members of the Scout Association of Nigeria at the first National Youth Camp held in Benin City, Edo state, while the Idiroko Special Area Command of NDLEA paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Chairman of Ipokia LGA, Ogun state Hon. Johnson Avoseh, among others.
While commending the officers and men of Ogun, Apapa, Lekki, Seme, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Oyo, Kwara, Kano, Abia and FCT Commands for the various successful operations, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Marwa (rtd) enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the current balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.
An 82-year-old United States senator, L. Louise Lucas, has been indicted alongside six others over an alleged conspiracy to sell marijuana illegally and launder the proceeds, CNN reports on Thursday.
Lucas, a Democrat who serves as president pro tempore of Virginia’s Senate, faces charges including racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to possess and distribute marijuana, and conspiracy to launder money.
According to the indictment reported by CNN, Lucas allegedly operated several businesses that bought and sold illegal quantities of marijuana to build her family’s wealth.
The indictment also names members of her family, including her daughter, Lisa Lucas-Burke, who is running for a seat on the Portsmouth City Council.
FBI Director Kash Patel alleged that Lucas used her political position to protect the businesses from criminal scrutiny and influence legislation for financial gain.
In a statement announcing the charges, Patel said Lucas allegedly worked with “a close-knit group of family members and associates” to build what he described as a “criminal marijuana enterprise”.
Lucas, who has advocated for the legalisation of marijuana in Virginia, surrendered to law enforcement, according to a United States Justice Department spokesperson.
Responding to the charges on Thursday, she criticised the federal government’s actions, describing them as an attempt to target an elderly public official.
“Today, the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the full weight of the federal government have been wielded against an 82-year-old great-grandmother.
“I grew up under Jim Crow. I’ve seen what happens when people in power try to silence those who stand up to them. I spent my life fighting back, and I’m not stopping now,” she said.
Prosecutors also accused Lucas of paying $750,000 for full ownership of a shell holding company allegedly established to help an associate obtain a Virginia licence to sell marijuana.
The Justice Department alleged that Lucas subsequently received what it described as a bribery payment from the associate and failed to disclose her interest in the company in the economic interest forms she was required to file as a legislator.
The indictment further alleges that Lucas discussed a recreational marijuana licence with an unidentified associate and the sharing of proceeds from the business.
Earlier this year, FBI agents searched two of Lucas’s marijuana shops as part of an investigation that began under former President Joe Biden. According to the indictment, agents recovered marijuana and firearms from both locations.
Virginia recently passed a law permitting regulated retail marijuana sales from July 1, 2027.
The indictment comes weeks before Election Day, although Lucas is not seeking re-election this year.
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger said Lucas and her family should have the opportunity to defend themselves against the allegations. She also questioned the timing of the indictment, saying it could further erode public trust in the Justice Department.
The charges against Lucas remain allegations, and she is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty in court.
A UK court has sentenced a 35-year-old Nigerian national, Goodness Sokoh, to 21 years in prison following a comprehensive investigation into online grooming and multiple child safety offences.
Sokoh, residing in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, utilized a social media application under an alias to communicate with four teenage girls between October and December 2025, subsequently luring them into his vehicle by offering incentives.
According to the Thames Valley Police, the physical meetings took place in Pitstone, Buckinghamshire. Following a full trial, Sokoh was found guilty of multiple counts of serious felony assault, unlawful exploitation, and endangering minors.
During the sentencing proceeding at Amersham Law Court, Judge Catherine Tulk strongly condemned the convict’s actions, telling Sokoh: “You were grooming them so that they would trust you and put themselves into danger. You thought you could do with them whatever you wanted. Not one of them wanted to have any activity with you.”
Judge Tulk added that his actions were “clear evidence of grooming” and that he had “exploited their age and vulnerability”.
The court also heard statements from the victims’ families detailing the profound psychological and emotional distress the ordeal caused the teenagers, including severe anxiety, disruption to their education, and a loss of personal safety.
Sokoh was initially apprehended by law enforcement on December 17, 2025. Under the terms of the judicial ruling, he must serve at least two-thirds of his 21-year custodial sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Additionally, the court placed him permanently on the register of offenders and issued a lifetime restraining order prohibiting any contact with the victims.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Natalie Palmer of the Child Abuse Investigation Unit praised the young victims, stating: “I would like to thank the victims for the strength, courage and resilience they have shown throughout this lengthy investigation and trial. Throughout the process, the girls demonstrated incredible bravery. Despite everything they had experienced, they remained committed to helping the investigation and seeking justice. While I know this outcome does not mark the end of their journey, I hope it brings some reassurance that their voices have been heard and that they have been listened to by the criminal justice system.”
Authorities have emphasized their ongoing commitment to tackling violence against women and girls, while urging anyone with additional information relevant to the case to contact local law enforcement agencies.
The Nigeria Police Force has filed cybercrime charges against the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, and two others over the alleged unlawful interception of a woman’s telephone and computer network.
PUNCH Metro learned from a charge sheet seen on Wednesday that Mufutau Ibrahim and Tajudeen Opoola are the other defendants.
The charges, filed by the Inspector-General of Police on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria before the Federal High Court in Lagos, accused the defendants of conspiring to unlawfully intercept computer data belonging to Dr Adeola Kehinde without authorisation.
According to the charge sheet dated October 2 and signed by a prosecuting counsel of the Directorate of Legal Services, NPF-NCCC, the alleged offences occurred on August 23, 2026, at the university in Ekiti State.
In the first count, the defendants were accused of conspiring “with intent and without authorisation, to unlawfully intercept the transmission of Dr Adeola Kehinde’s computer data and its content.”
The second count accused them of intentionally and without authorisation using technical means to “unlawfully intercept the transmission of Dr Adeola Kehinde’s computer data and its content” from her computer network.
In the third count, the defendants were accused of causing the modification of data held in Kehinde’s computer system or network “with intent and without lawful authority.”
The alleged offences were said to be contrary to Sections 27(1)(b), 12(1) and 16(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.
In another count, the defendants were accused of acting “in abuse of your office” and committing an “arbitrary act prejudicial to the rights of Dr Adeola Kehinde” by allegedly intercepting her telephone and computer network without lawful authority.
The charge sheet stated that the alleged act was punishable under Section 104 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The charge document did not indicate the date of arraignment or the defendants’ pleas to the allegations.
