Nigeria’s anti-narcotics war has taken an unusual turn, with two grandfathers aged 83 and 78 among suspects arrested as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intensifies nationwide raids on drug networks.
The Agency, in a statement by its Director, Media and Enlightenment, Femi Babafemi, said the arrests were part of coordinated, intelligence-led operations conducted across multiple states, leading to the seizure of large consignments of illicit substances and the disruption of entrenched supply chains.
In Abia State, NDLEA operatives arrested 83-year-old Pa John Ofiel during a raid at Samek area of Aba, where 700 grams of skunk packaged in retail sachets were recovered. “The suspect claimed he was previously a shoemaker before venturing into the illicit drug trade,” Babafemi disclosed.
Similarly, in Ekiti State, a 78-year-old Ogunjobi Samuel was arrested at his residence in Ilupeju-Ekiti, with 350 grams of the same substance recovered from him. “These arrests underscore the extent to which the drug menace cuts across age groups and social strata,” the statement noted.
In Oyo State, operatives apprehended two female suspects, Rebecca King, 24, and Olaniyan Opeyemi, 31, in connection with the seizure of 1.925 kilograms of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis.
“While one was intercepted along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway conveying the consignment, the other was arrested in a follow-up operation while attempting to take delivery,” Babafemi said.
The agency also confirmed the arrest of a notorious drug dealer, Taofik Adeyemi, 49, in Ibadan after months of evading arrest. “He was apprehended alongside his associate, with over three kilograms of skunk and a vehicle recovered during the operation,” it stated, adding that two of his accomplices were already facing prosecution.
In Osun, a 65-year-old driver, Oladayo Awoyemi, was arrested at Ile-Ife toll gate with seven kilograms of skunk and methamphetamine concealed in his vehicle. “A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the owner of the consignment in Ilesha,” the statement said.
Operations in the North-East and North-West also yielded good results. In Borno State, “76,440 pills of Tramadol were intercepted from a suspect along Damaturu-Maiduguri road,” while additional seizures led to the arrest of other suspects linked to the consignment.
In Kaduna, operatives intercepted 290 kilograms of compressed cannabis concealed in a vehicle along the Abuja-Jos highway, while in Jigawa, “49,800 capsules of Tramadol were recovered from two suspects during a patrol operation.”
Lagos State recorded one of the largest seizures, with operatives recovering 740 kilograms of skunk during a raid at Awolowo market, Mushin.
In Edo State, an intelligence-led operation in Benin City led to the arrest of a suspect with assorted illicit drugs, including Loud, Colorado, Tramadol, and methamphetamine.
Commending the officers involved in the operations, the NDLEA leadership said, “the balance between drug supply reduction and sustained public sensitisation remains critical in addressing the menace.”
It added that “operatives across commands are encouraged to maintain the current operational tempo and build on recent successes in dismantling drug networks nationwide.”
NDLEA Nabs Octogenarians, Drug Kingpins in Nationwide Crackdown
