The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its clampdown on drug traffickers and cartels across the country, arresting multiple suspects including a 75-year-old man and destroying over 178,000 kilograms of illicit cannabis in coordinated operations in Anambra, Taraba, Kaduna, and Borno States.
In Anambra, operatives arrested septuagenarian Uchelue Ikechukwu at Umudioka, Dunukofia Local Government Area with 26.7kg of skunk on Thursday, August 28, 2025. Five other suspects — Eneh Makuo, Emmanuel Chiemeli, Uwakwe Matthew, Chukwujekwu Ehirim, Ifeanyichukwu Olisa and Odoh Chukwuma — were also apprehended with varying quantities of opioids and cannabis at Nkwelle and Amichi areas.In Taraba,
NDLEA operatives in a joint operation with the Nigerian Army, Forest Security Service, Mambila Youth Vanguard and Vigilante, stormed Mayodoga forest, Sardauna LGA, where they discovered a 71.5-hectare cannabis farm.
The farm, cultivated by 30-year-old Alfa Andrew, yielded 178,750 kilograms of skunk which were destroyed on-site. Andrew, who was armed with a Dane gun, was arrested during the raid on Tuesday, August 26.
In Kaduna, operatives intercepted a fuel tanker at the Abuja/Kaduna tollgate on Friday, August 29, concealing 104,900 capsules of tramadol in the driver’s compartment. The consignment was suspected to be headed for insurgents in Borno State.
The driver, Hassan Buba, was immediately taken into custody. Similarly, another suspect, Kabir Sulaiman, 45, was arrested with 34.15kg of skunk at the Gwargwaje-Zaria checkpoint on Saturday, August 30.
In a separate breakthrough in Borno State, NDLEA operatives, acting on intelligence, arrested 33-year-old Uchenna Umeh, a major supplier of opioids in Maiduguri. He was nabbed shortly after taking delivery of supplies from Onitsha, Anambra State.
A search of his residence at Chescon, Pompomari area of Maiduguri yielded 30,640 pills of tramadol 225mg, 7,940 tablets of rohypnol, and N7,999,200 in cash, all in newly minted N200 notes.
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the arrests and seizures, stressing that the agency remained relentless in dismantling drug cartels across the country.
The arrests and seizures underscore NDLEA’s commitment to safeguarding communities and cutting off drug supplies to criminal groups, including insurgents.
The agency will continue to pursue traffickers, no matter their age, location or influence,” Babafemi said.He added that all the suspects were in custody and would face prosecution in line with Nigeria’s drug laws.
