The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made headlines again with the rearrest of an 83-year-old woman, Uloma Uchechi Sunday, for alleged involvement in drug trafficking. This arrest comes less than a year after she was previously convicted for the same crime. The agency announced her capture on October 7 at her home in Ite-Uzo, Umuaguma, located in the Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.

According to Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, the arrest was prompted by credible intelligence that indicated the elderly woman was operating a notorious drug joint that served as a hub for criminal activities in her community. Uloma was initially arrested on May 17, 2025, alongside her daughter, Chisom Uchechi, when authorities discovered a range of drugs including methamphetamine and cannabis. Both women were sentenced to 12 months in prison or a fine of N200,000, which they paid, leading to their release.

Despite her previous conviction, the NDLEA reported that Uloma quickly returned to drug-related activities and expanded her operations, leading to her latest arrest.

In a separate operation, the NDLEA apprehended a South African woman, Gebashe Sithandiwe Jessie, at the Port Harcourt International Airport. She was found with 32.74kg of cannabis, specifically a strain known as Thai Loud, concealed in her luggage. The drugs were intercepted after Jessie arrived from Thailand via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight. She confessed to having trafficked through various African countries before attempting to establish a route to Port Harcourt.

The NDLEA's recent operations also resulted in significant drug seizures across several Nigerian states. In Lagos, operatives intercepted 354,000 tablets of tapentadol weighing 307.20kg, imported from Pakistan. This consignment was discovered in cartons aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight after being placed under surveillance.

Further operations revealed 70 parcels of Colorado, weighing 75.90kg, hidden in cargo from the United Kingdom. Four suspects were arrested in connection with this seizure, including a clearing agent and an Uber driver, who claimed the drugs were sent by associates based abroad.

In Cross River State, a raid led to the arrest of Adama Inuwa, who was found with 181 bags of cannabis weighing 1,100kg. Other arrests included individuals in Edo, Ondo, Taraba, and Kaduna states, with various quantities of cannabis and tramadol confiscated.

The NDLEA also conducted a raid in Plateau State, where firearms and ammunition were recovered, including two pump-action rifles and a significant amount of live cartridges. Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (retd.), the NDLEA Chairman, praised the agency's officers for their intelligence-driven approach and urged them to maintain their efforts in combating drug abuse across the nation.