The agency said the octogenarian was apprehended on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at her residence in Ite-Uzo, Umuaguma, Obingwa Local Government Area, with quantities of methamphetamine and Colorado, a synthetic cannabinoid, allegedly concealed around her waist with a wrapper.
According to the NDLEA, her arrest followed intelligence reports suggesting that she operated a drug joint in the community, which allegedly attracted criminal elements responsible for terrorising residents.
The agency said the latest arrest came after her previous encounter with the law in May 2025, when she and her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom Uchechi, were arrested at the same residence.
During that operation, NDLEA operatives reportedly recovered 50 grammes of methamphetamine, 522 grammes of skunk, 260 grammes of fresh cannabis leaves and 12 grammes of tramadol.
The agency said both women pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment or an alternative fine of ₦200,000 each. They subsequently paid the fines and were released.
The NDLEA alleged that Uloma later returned to the illicit drug trade and expanded her activities. The allegations are subject to the applicable legal process.
In another operation, NDLEA operatives, working with the Nigeria Customs Service, arrested a South African woman, Gebashe Sithandiwe Jessie, at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State.
The agency said the suspect was found with 30 parcels of Thai Loud, a cannabis variety, weighing 32.74 kilogrammes and concealed in two travelling bags.
She reportedly arrived from Thailand through Doha aboard Qatar Airways flight QR1431.
According to the NDLEA, the suspect confessed to previously trafficking drugs through other African countries and was allegedly seeking to extend her activities to Port Harcourt when she was arrested.
At the Import Shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted a consignment of nine cartons shipped from Pakistan aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight.
The shipment, which arrived on September 29, was placed under surveillance before a joint examination on Tuesday, October 6, led to the discovery of 354,000 tablets of Tapentadol, each containing 250 milligrammes. The consignment weighed 307.20 kilogrammes.
In a separate operation at the Lagos airport, officers intercepted a consolidated shipment from the United Kingdom that had also arrived on September 29.
A search of six Ghana-Must-Go bags reportedly uncovered 70 parcels of Colorado weighing 75.90 kilogrammes.
The agency said a clearing agent, John Edrah, 54, was arrested on September 30 in connection with the consignment.
Taofiq Ajibola, 54, an Uber driver, was subsequently arrested while allegedly collecting one of the bags at a logistics company in Mafoluku, Oshodi. Adetunji Adebayo and Kazeem Damola Dosunmu, 48, a clothing trader, were also arrested in connection with the remaining five bags.
According to the NDLEA, Ajibola claimed the drugs were sent by an associate based in the United Kingdom, identified as Lukman Sa’idu, while Dosunmu said his consignment came from another UK-based individual identified as Yusuf.
In Cross River State, NDLEA operatives raided Iyala Nkun village in Ikom Local Government Area on Sunday, October 4, following surveillance operations.
The operation led to the arrest of Adama Inuwa, 46, with 181 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 1,100 kilogrammes and an additional 17.15 kilogrammes of cannabis seeds.
In Edo State, officers intercepted a black Toyota Camry at Otuo, Owan East Local Government Area, on Monday, October 5. The vehicle was allegedly conveying 1,049 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 702.83 kilogrammes.
Three suspects, identified as Monday Orji, 52, Monday Lawal, 40, and Precious Uduegele, 20, were arrested in connection with the seizure.
In another operation in Edo, Ojugo Mercy, 26, was arrested at Asoro, off Sakponba Road, Benin City. The agency said 989 grammes of Loud, 13 grammes of Colorado and 83 grammes of methamphetamine were recovered.
In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives arrested 21-year-old Happy Endurance at a hideout in the Shasha area of Akure on October 5. The operation reportedly led to the recovery of 29 bags of cannabis weighing 290 kilogrammes.
On the same day, officers raided an apartment in Oba-Ile, Akure, where they arrested Tunde Adebayo, 42, and recovered 35 bags of cannabis weighing 351 kilogrammes.
In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives, supported by soldiers, arrested Abdulrasheed Mohamed, 31, and Abubakar Saidu, 37, at Chanchanji village in Wukari Local Government Area on Friday, October 9.
The agency said the suspects were found with 166,200 tablets of Tramadol, each containing 225 milligrammes, weighing a combined 107 kilogrammes.
In Kano State, a stop-and-search operation along the Kano-Maiduguri Road on the same day led to the arrest of Yahaya Musa, 32.
Officers reportedly recovered 24,990 capsules of Tramadol, 50,000 tablets of Diazepam and 22,000 tablets of Exol-5 from the suspect.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives patrolling the Zaria-Kaduna Expressway in Kaduna State arrested Mohammed Musa, 29, with 31 jumbo bags of skunk and 775 blocks of the same substance. The combined weight was put at 1,027 kilogrammes.
In Orile, Lagos, another suspect, Musbau Balogun Adekunle, was arrested on Tuesday, October 6, with 32.51 kilogrammes of skunk and 52.65 kilogrammes of cannabis seeds, bringing the total seizure to 85.16 kilogrammes.
In Plateau State, NDLEA operatives raided the residence of Christian Chukwudi Uju, 45, along Rukuba Road, Jos, on Thursday, October 8.
The agency said the operation led to the recovery of 47 grammes of methamphetamine, two pump-action rifles, one locally made gun, 199 live cartridges, five rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and one round of 9mm ammunition.
The discovery of firearms and ammunition alongside illicit drugs adds another dimension to the agency’s enforcement activities in the state.
Alongside its enforcement operations, the agency said its commands and formations continued public education activities under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative.
The sensitisation programmes reached schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities in several states.
Institutions listed included Progressive Grammar School, Tede, Oyo State; Ehugbo Technical College, Afikpo, Ebonyi State; Baptist High School, Lambata, Niger State; Madarasatul Tarbiyatul Islamiya, Galangalan Tudun Wada, Kano State; Ipara Senior and Junior Community Secondary School, Badagry, Lagos State; and Manbahu Ridwanullah Nursery and Primary School, Olomore, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The activities are intended to educate young people and community members about the dangers associated with drug abuse and encourage informed decisions about substance use.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers and men of the Lagos, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Port Harcourt International Airport, Taraba, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Cross River, Ondo and Plateau commands for what he described as professional and intelligence-led operations.
Marwa urged personnel across the country to sustain the agency’s combined approach of drug enforcement, prevention and public awareness.
The agency said investigations into the various arrests and seizures were continuing.
Femi Babafemi
Director, Media and Advocacy
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
Abuja
Sunday, October 11, 2026
