NDLEA in recent operations arrested grannies aged 62, 83, 85, 101 -Reports
Eight elderly Nigerians convicted for drugs in Ondo, in three years -Investigation
Expert links ‘possible exploitation’ to poverty, dementia, memory loss
The alleged involvement of elderly Nigerians in illicit drug trafficking has come under renewed scrutiny following a series of arrests by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and concerns that criminal networks may be exploiting old people as couriers to evade security checks.
The cases include the arrests of three grandmothers aged 62, 83 and 85 in separate operations in Lagos, Abia and Edo States in October, as well as that of a 101-year old great-grandmother in Ogun State in August.
Meanwhile, figures from the NDLEA, Ondo State Command show that eight persons aged 50 and above were convicted of drug-related offences in the state between 2024 and 2026.
The Commander of Narcotics, NDLEA Ondo State Command, CN Folayemi Gabriel Adeyemo, disclosed the conviction figures while speaking on the arrest and prosecution of elderly persons involved in drug-related offences at the command’s headquarters in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Adeyemo said four persons, comprising three males and one female aged between 53 and 60, were convicted in 2024. In 2025, one male aged 60 was convicted, while three males aged between 56 and 60 were convicted in 2026. The figures showed that 2024 recorded the highest number of convictions during the period, while 2025 recorded the lowest.
The NDLEA commander cautioned against generalising the figures to the wider elderly population, stressing that each case should be assessed on its circumstances and available evidence.
He identified poverty, financial insecurity, the lure of quick financial gains, influence from family members or associates and deliberate recruitment by criminal networks as possible reasons for the involvement of some older people in drug-related activities.
He added that trafficking networks might deliberately recruit elderly persons because they believe their age would make them less likely to attract suspicion during security checks.
Adeyemo, however, warned that age did not guarantee immunity from investigation or law enforcement action, noting that the agency relied on intelligence-led operations to identify suspects and uncover trafficking networks.
One of the recent cases involved 85-year old Grace Ehimeka, also known as Mama Grace, who was arrested at her residence in Warake community, Owan East Local Government area of Edo State, on October 16. The NDLEA said 15 bags of cannabis weighing 179kg were recovered from her.
The agency’s Edo State Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, said Ehimeka admitted ownership of the drugs and told investigators that she had been selling cannabis for more than two years to survive as a widow, despite warnings from family members to stop.
In another case, 83-year old Uloma Uchechi Sunday was arrested at her residence in Ite-Uzo, Umuaguma, Obingwa Local Government area of Abia State, on October 7.
The NDLEA said quantities of methamphetamine and Colorado, a synthetic cannabinoid, were allegedly found concealed around her waist.
The agency further alleged that Sunday had returned to the illicit drug trade after she and her 32-year old daughter, Chisom Uchechi, were arrested, prosecuted and convicted in 2025. Both women reportedly paid fines of ₦200,000 each following their guilty pleas.
Similarly, 62-year old Anetor Gloria Ubong, a Nigerian-American realtor based in Richmond, Texas, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on October 21, after arriving from Houston, United States.
According to the NDLEA, 9.45kg of cannabis, popularly known as loud, was allegedly discovered in her luggage.
The agency said Ubong told investigators that the consignment had been delivered to her home in the United States by her daughter and the latter’s future brother-in-law for onward delivery to her daughter’s fiancé in Nigeria.
Another case involved 101-year old Esther Ogunmabo, who was arrested in Ilisan, Ogun State, on August 15, with 90g of skunk, a strain of cannabis, allegedly packaged for retail sale.
The NDLEA said she told investigators that she ventured into the trade after a fire destroyed her provisions shop and that a daughter living in Lagos supplied the substance every four days. In view of her advanced age, the agency’s chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), directed that she be granted bail and placed on counselling.
Meanwhile, the Human Resources Officer of Daina Elderly Healthcare Centre, Akure, Mrs Fayokemi Akinola, said the involvement of some elderly persons in drug trafficking might not always be driven by poverty or the desire for money, as age-related cognitive challenges could also make them vulnerable to manipulation.
Akinola identified memory loss and dementia as possible factors that could affect some older people’s ability to understand their circumstances, including where they were going, what they were carrying and the consequences of their actions.
“It’s not only about poverty or the money they want. From my experience, as people grow older, some develop dementia and may not remember where they are going or what they are doing,” she said.
She said medical assessments could help establish whether an elderly person accused of a drug-related offence fully understood their actions, particularly where there were indications of cognitive impairment or possible exploitation.
Akinola recalled an incident involving an elderly woman who was apprehended for allegedly transporting drugs, saying the woman’s behaviour while being photographed raised questions about her level of awareness. She added that criminal networks appeared to be exploring new methods of transporting illicit substances by using elderly persons as couriers.
Adeyemo said the NDLEA was combining enforcement with prevention, public enlightenment, counselling, treatment and rehabilitation to address drug-related offences. He listed intelligence-led operations, investigation and prosecution, disruption of trafficking networks, community collaboration and the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative among the measures being implemented.
The commander urged members of the public to remain vigilant and provide credible information to the agency, assuring them that the NDLEA would continue to pursue drug traffickers without fear or favour while respecting due process.
The cases have renewed calls for greater attention to the economic and healthcare needs of older Nigerians, alongside thorough investigations into alleged drug offences.
However, the arrests and conviction figures do not, on their own, establish a nationwide increase in drug trafficking among elderly people, while allegations against individual suspects, according to experts, must be distinguished from those proven guilty.
[THE HOPE]
