NDLEA arrests 83-year-old, others in drug crackdown
An 83-year-old grandfather, Pa John Ofiel, and a 78-year-old suspect, Ogunjobi Samuel, are among those arrested in an ongoing nationwide crackdown on illicit drug traffickers by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). This was contained in statement issued yesterday in Abuja by NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi Ofiel according to the statement, was […]
NDLEA arrests 83-year-old, others in drug crackdown
An 83-year-old grandfather, Pa John Ofiel, and a 78-year-old suspect, Ogunjobi Samuel, are among those arrested in an ongoing nationwide crackdown on illicit drug traffickers by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
This was contained in statement issued yesterday in Abuja by NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi
Ofiel according to the statement, was arrested on Tuesday, April 28 during a raid at Samek by Powerline in Aba, Abia State, following credible intelligence linking him to drug dealing.
At the time of his arrest, 700 grams of skunk, a strain of cannabis packaged in retail sachets, were recovered from him.
He claimed he was previously a professional shoemaker before venturing into the illicit trade.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives in Ekiti State on Thursday, April 30, arrested 78-year-old Ogunjobi Samuel at his residence on H22 Owode Street, Ilupeju-Ekiti, where 350 grams of skunk were recovered.
In Oyo State, the statement noted that two women, Rebecca King, 24, and Olaniyan Opeyemi, 31, were arrested in connection with the seizure of 1.925kg of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis.
King was intercepted along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on April 29 while transporting the consignment, while Opeyemi was apprehended in a follow-up operation at Iwo Road, Ibadan, as she attempted to receive it.
In another operation in Ibadan, a suspected drug dealer, Taofik Adeyemi, 49, was arrested on May 2 at his residence in the Erunmu area after months of evading arrest.
His associate, Mustapha Oyerinde, 28, was also arrested. Two other accomplices, Abiodun Abiola and Aderinde Ibrahim had earlier been arrested on December 8, 2025, and are currently facing prosecution at a Federal High Court in Ibadan. Recovered from Adeyemi were 3.085kg of skunk and a Toyota Camry with registration number EPE 299 JZ”, the statement added.
“In Osun State, a 65-year-old driver, Oladayo Awoyemi, was arrested on April 30 at Ile-Ife toll gate along the Ibadan-Ilesha Expressway while transporting a carton containing 7kg of skunk and 15 grams of methamphetamine. A follow-up operation in Ilesha led to the arrest of the owner of the consignment, Ifedayo Babalola, 40.
“In Borno State, NDLEA operatives arrested a 27-year-old suspect, Yahaya Shehu, on April 29 along the Damaturu-Maiduguri Road, recovering 76,440 pills of Tramadol (225mg).
“In a separate operation, a truck driver, Magaji Isa, 30, was arrested with 14,000 capsules of Tramadol, while a follow-up operation in Biu led to the arrest of the alleged owner, Abdulhamid Mahmud, 28”, the statement said.
On the Abuja-Jos highway in Kaduna State, NDLEA officers intercepted a Honda Ridgeline vehicle marked KSF 65 EQ on May 2, arresting two suspects — Ojo Major Ebose, 36, and Chika Obiechefula, 32 — and recovering 393 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 290kg. Similarly, 49,800 capsules of Tramadol were seized from Ahmed Garba (aka Fangale), 50, and Sale Mohammed, 41, along Bauchi Road in Hadejia, Jigawa State, on May 1.
In Lagos State, NDLEA operatives raided Awolowo Market, Mushin, on May 2, recovering 740kg of skunk. In Edo State, a suspect, Godstime Godspower, 25, was arrested on April 30 at Idogbo community in Benin City, with assorted illicit drugs including 57 grams of Loud, 3 grams of Colorado, 8 grams of Tramadol, 3 grams of Swinol, and 5 grams of methamphetamine.
The agency also intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns nationwide, targeting schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), commended officers across affected states for their efforts and urged them to sustain the momentum in both drug supply reduction and public sensitisation.