NDLEA Arrests 83-Year-Old, 78-Year-Old Grandfathers in Nationwide Drug Crackdown
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested two elderly men—aged 83 and 78—during a series of coordinated nationwide operations targeting drug traffickers and dealers.
The 83-year-old suspect, Pa John Ofiel, was apprehended on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, during a raid at Samek area by Powerline in Aba, Abia State. Acting on credible intelligence, officers recovered 700 grams of skunk, a strain of cannabis, packaged in retail sachets. Ofiel reportedly told investigators he was previously a shoemaker before venturing into the illicit drug trade.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives in Ekiti State arrested 78-year-old Ogunjobi Samuel on Thursday, April 30, at his residence on Owode Street, Ilupeju-Ekiti. A total of 350 grams of skunk was recovered from him.
In Oyo State, two women—Rebecca King, 24, and Olaniyan Opeyemi, 31—were arrested in connection with the seizure of 1.925 kilograms of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis variant. King was intercepted along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway while transporting the consignment, while Opeyemi was arrested in a follow-up operation at Iwo Road, Ibadan.
NDLEA also arrested a suspected notorious drug dealer, Taofik Adeyemi, 49, in Ibadan after months of evading arrest. He was apprehended alongside his associate, Mustapha Oyerinde, 28, at his residence in the Erunmu area. Recovered items included 3.085 kilograms of skunk and a Toyota Camry vehicle. Two of Adeyemi’s associates had earlier been arrested in December 2025 and are currently facing prosecution.
In Osun State, a 65-year-old driver, Oladayo Awoyemi, was arrested at the Ile-Ife toll gate with 7 kilograms of skunk and 15 grams of methamphetamine concealed in his vehicle. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the consignment’s owner, Ifedayo Babalola, 40, in Ilesha.
Further operations in Borno State led to the arrest of multiple suspects, including 27-year-old Yahaya Shehu, who was caught with 76,440 pills of Tramadol along the Damaturu-Maiduguri road. Another suspect, Magaji Isa, 30, was intercepted with 14,000 capsules of Tramadol, while the alleged owner, Abdulhamid Mahmud, 28, was later arrested.
In Kaduna State, NDLEA officers intercepted a vehicle along the Abuja-Jos highway, recovering 290 kilograms of compressed skunk from two suspects, Ojo Major Ebose, 36, and Chika Obiechefula, 32. Similarly, in Jigawa State, 49,800 capsules of Tramadol were seized from two suspects along Bauchi Road in Hadejia.
In Lagos, operatives raided Awolowo Market in Mushin, recovering 740 kilograms of skunk. Meanwhile, in Edo State, a suspect identified as Godstime Godspower, 25, was arrested with various illicit substances including Loud, Colorado, Tramadol, Swinol, and methamphetamine.
Beyond enforcement, the agency sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaigns across schools, communities, and workplaces nationwide.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers across multiple state commands for their efforts, urging them to maintain the momentum in both drug supply reduction and public awareness initiatives.
