NDLEA Arrests 83-Year-Old, 78-Year-Old Grandpas in Nationwide Drug Crackdown

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested two octogenarians alongside several other suspects in a sweeping nationwide operation targeting illicit drug trafficking and distribution networks across multiple states.

The arrests were disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who said the operations were carried out based on credible intelligence and sustained surveillance.

Among those apprehended were 83-year-old Pa John Ofiel, arrested in Aba, Abia State, and 78-year-old Ogunjobi Samuel, nabbed in Ekiti State for alleged involvement in drug peddling.

Babafemi said Ofiel was arrested on April 28 during a raid at Samek by Powerline in Aba, where officers recovered 700 grams of skunk packaged in retail sachets.

“The octogenarian claimed he was a professional shoemaker before delving into the illicit drug trade,” the statement noted.

Similarly, Ogunjobi was arrested on April 30 at his residence in Ilupeju-Ekiti, where NDLEA operatives recovered 350 grams of the same substance.

In Oyo State, two women — 24-year-old Rebecca King and 31-year-old Olaniyan Opeyemi — were arrested in connection with the seizure of 1.925 kilograms of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis. King was intercepted along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway while transporting the drugs, while Opeyemi was later arrested in Ibadan while attempting to collect the consignment.

The agency also confirmed the arrest of a suspected drug kingpin, 49-year-old Taofik Adeyemi, in Ibadan after months of evading arrest. He was apprehended alongside his associate, Mustapha Oyerinde, at his residence in the Erunmu area.

At the time of his arrest, operatives recovered 3.085 kilograms of skunk and a Toyota Camry vehicle. Two of Adeyemi’s alleged accomplices had earlier been arrested in December 2025 and are currently facing prosecution at the Federal High Court in Ibadan.

In Osun State, a 65-year-old driver, Oladayo Awoyemi, was arrested at Ile-Ife toll gate while transporting a consignment containing 7 kilograms of skunk and 15 grams of methamphetamine. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the alleged owner of the drugs, Ifedayo Babalola, in Ilesha.

Operations in the North East also yielded significant results. In Borno State, 27-year-old Yahaya Shehu was arrested along the Damaturu-Maiduguri road with 76,440 pills of Tramadol. Another suspect, Magaji Isa, was intercepted with 14,000 capsules of the same substance, while a subsequent operation led to the arrest of the alleged owner, Abdulhamid Mahmud.

Further seizures were recorded in Kaduna and Jigawa states, where NDLEA operatives intercepted 290 kilograms of compressed skunk along the Abuja-Jos highway and confiscated 49,800 capsules of Tramadol from suspects along Bauchi road in Hadejia.

In Lagos, officers raided the Awolowo Market in Mushin, recovering 740 kilograms of skunk, while in Edo State, a suspect, Godstime Godspower, was arrested with assorted illicit drugs including Loud, Colorado, Tramadol, Swinol and methamphetamine.

Babafemi said the operations underscore the agency’s sustained efforts to disrupt drug supply chains and dismantle trafficking networks across the country.

He added that alongside enforcement actions, the agency continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign in schools, communities, and public spaces to curb demand for illicit substances.

The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers involved in the operations across Abia, Ekiti, Edo, Borno, Kaduna, Jigawa, Oyo, Osun, and Lagos commands.

He noted that the agency’s approach combines aggressive supply reduction with sustained public enlightenment, urging personnel nationwide to maintain the momentum.