NDLEA arrests 93-year-old, medical doctor for drug trafficking
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 93-year-old man, a 69-year-old medical doctor and several suspects in a nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking networks. The agency’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, detailing a series of intelligence-led operations across multiple states. Babafemi said the nonagenarian, […]
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 93-year-old man, a 69-year-old medical doctor and several suspects in a nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking networks.
The agency’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, detailing a series of intelligence-led operations across multiple states.
Babafemi said the nonagenarian, Pa Friday Ahukanna Chigbu, was arrested on April 7 at his residence in Umuagbaigba, Osisioma Local Government Area of Abia State, where 7.7 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, was recovered.
He quoted the suspect as claiming he ventured into the illicit drug trade over a year ago after years of working as a truck pusher and later as a painter and tiler, adding that he had been smoking cannabis since 1959.
In a related development, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives arrested a 41-year-old Ivorian, Gohouri Michael, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, with 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49 kilograms.
The suspect, who was to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Milan via Addis Ababa, was reportedly promised €5,000 upon successful delivery of the drugs.
Babafemi said further investigation led to the arrest of a 69-year-old medical doctor, Dr. Chudi Daniel Ofomata, identified as the mastermind behind the trafficking operation.
He said Ofomata was traced to his residence in Magboro, Ogun State, where he was arrested on March 27, with 63 grams of promazepam and seven ampoules of promethazine injection recovered from him.
According to Babafemi, NDLEA operatives also recorded multiple seizures and arrests across the country.
In Ogun State, three suspects—Azeez Sanni, Olayinka Oke and Adekunle Adeyemi—were arrested with 34 kilograms of skunk at Sango Ota, while in Imo State, 56.2 kilograms of the substance was recovered from a 26-year-old suspect, Ayoka Akinwale.
He added that in Niger State, a couple, Abdullahi Umar and his wife, Adama Umar, were arrested with 118 kilograms of skunk recovered from their residence.
Babafemi further disclosed that NDLEA operatives intercepted a trailer in Borno State conveying 42,290 tablets of Rohypnol, 82,700 millilitres of codeine syrup and 10,000 millilitres of pentazocine injection, leading to the arrest of the owner, Eleje Ibeabuchi.
In Lagos, he said operatives intercepted a bus along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. They recovered 15 kilograms of “Scottish Loud,” a strong strain of cannabis, and arrested two suspects.
Another operation in the Mushin 1 area of Lagos led to the seizure of 26,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup and the arrest of two suspects.
Babafemi said eight suspects were also arrested during a raid of a notorious drug joint in Abuja, where 11.516 kilograms of skunk were recovered.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives intercepted two trucks conveying a total of 7,245 kilograms of skunk concealed among cartons of beer, leading to the arrest of five suspects.
He noted that the consignments were loaded in Sabongida-Ora and were heading to Abuja before being intercepted.
Babafemi added that the agency sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns across schools and communities nationwide.
He said NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers across commands for the arrests and seizures, urging them to maintain a balance between drug supply reduction and demand reduction efforts.