Operatives of the Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a 68-year-old grandmother and six other suspects in connection with alleged drug trafficking and large-scale cannabis cultivation.
The State Commander, Dr Mitchell Ofoyeju, confirmed that the grandmother, identified as Evelyn Ogenewu, was arrested alongside a 43-year-old suspect, Friday Iruoje. He said 23 kilograms of processed cannabis were recovered from the suspects during the operation.
Ofoyeju disclosed that officers also raided Yoruba Camp in Olumoye Forest, Ovia North East Local Government Area, where 563.5 kilograms of suspected skunk cannabis were seized. Five male suspects — Murtala Mohammed, Abdulkadir Idris, Ufoma Edafe, Anthony Aghati and Emmanuel Owalu — were apprehended during that operation.
In another raid at Otuo Forest in Owan East Local Government Area, agents reportedly discovered eight bags and 60 compressed blocks of skunk cannabis concealed within a cocoa plantation, weighing 103.57 kilograms.
The commander added that operatives identified three cannabis farms at Etiosa Forest in Owan West Local Government Area measuring 0.145307 hectares, 0.203658 hectares and 0.157772 hectares respectively.
He stated that a total of 1,956.92 kilograms of suspected cannabis were intercepted across the operations. He explained that 0.506737 hectares of farmland were destroyed during enforcement actions, with an estimated yield of 1,266.85 kilograms of cannabis eliminated.
According to him, the operations were intelligence-driven and formed part of a sustained dry-season crackdown on illegal cannabis cultivation and trafficking in the state.
Ofoyeju assured that investigations remain ongoing and vowed that the agency would continue acting on credible intelligence to curb drug-related crimes. He also urged residents to support enforcement efforts aimed at safeguarding communities from the harmful effects of illicit drugs.