The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested six suspects, including an 85-year-old woman, during anti-drug operations in Edo State, with additional arrests and cannabis seizures recorded in neighbouring Ondo State.
The elderly suspect, identified as Grace Ehimeka, was allegedly found with 179 kilogrammes of cannabis, popularly known as skunk, in Warake community, Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State.
According to the agency, the arrests were made during operations conducted between October 15 and 16, 2026, across Warake, Ivhiaro and Ewe/Irue communities.
Another suspect, 53-year-old Ayo Aigberadion, was reportedly arrested in Ewe/Irue with 220.8 kilogrammes of cannabis.
The other suspects were identified as Ali Garba, 57; Habib Braimoh, 45; Musa Mubid, 35; and Hope Okoro, 35. The NDLEA alleged that various quantities of cannabis and other substances were recovered from them, including tramadol, Swinol, diazepam, cannabis seeds and a substance described as Canadian Loud.
In a related operation in Ondo State, NDLEA operatives reportedly raided a cannabis farm in the Okemoro Isinbode camp forest on October 17, destroying an estimated 7,500 kilogrammes of cannabis cultivated on three hectares of land.
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Five suspects were arrested during the operation. Officers also recovered 1,267 kilogrammes of cannabis packed in 92 bags, alongside 11 kilogrammes of cannabis seeds and three kilogrammes of fresh cannabis stems.
In a separate operation in Owo, Ondo State, operatives reportedly arrested a 53-year-old suspect, Okunebe Ndidi, at a hideout in Ameyinti, where 25 bags of cannabis weighing 375 kilogrammes were recovered.
The NDLEA said the operations form part of its ongoing efforts to dismantle cannabis cultivation, trafficking and distribution networks across the country.
The agency’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers involved and urged personnel nationwide to sustain pressure on drug trafficking networks.
The arrests and seizures underscore the agency’s continued crackdown on illicit drug production and distribution in southern Nigeria.
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