NDLEA arrests 83-year-old, 78-year-old grandfathers for drug trafficking in Abia, Ekiti
…nabs notorious drug dealer in Ibadan …recovers large consignments of illicit substances in Lagos, Borno, Kaduna, Jigawa, Edo, Osun raids An 83-year-old grandfather, Pa John Ofiel, and a 78-year-old grandfather,
...nabs notorious drug dealer in Ibadan
...recovers large consignments of illicit substances in Lagos, Borno, Kaduna, Jigawa, Edo, Osun raids
An 83-year-old grandfather, Pa John Ofiel, and a 78-year-old grandfather, Ogunjobi Samuel, were among the suspects arrested in an ongoing nationwide crackdown on illicit drug traffickers and dealers by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.
According to the statement, Pa Ofiel was nabbed by NDLEA officers on Tuesday, 28 April 2026, during a raid operation at Samek by Powerline, Aba, Abia State, following credible intelligence that he was dealing in illicit substances.
At the time of his arrest, 700 grams of skunk, a strain of cannabis, packaged in retail sachets, were recovered from him. The octogenarian claimed he was a professional shoemaker before delving into the illicit drug trade, Babafemi said.
He added that in a similar development, NDLEA operatives in Ekiti State on Thursday, 30 April, arrested a 78-year-old Ogunjobi Samuel at his residence, H22 Owode Street, Ilupeju-Ekiti, for drug peddling, while 350 grams of the same psychoactive substance were seized from him at the time of his arrest.
Two ladies, Rebecca King, 24, and Olaniyan Opeyemi, 31, were arrested by NDLEA operatives in Oyo State in connection with the seizure of 1.925kg of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis.
Babafemi said while Rebecca was nabbed conveying the consignment along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Wednesday, 29 April, Opeyemi was arrested in a follow-up operation at Iwo Road, Ibadan, when she attempted to take delivery of the cargo.
He said in another interdiction operation in Ibadan, a notorious drug dealer, 49-year-old Taofik Adeyemi, was arrested on Saturday, 2 May, along with his salesman, Mustapha Oyerinde, 28, at his residence in the Erunmu area of the state capital, after months of evading arrest.
Two of his associates, Abiodun Abiola and Aderinde Ibrahim, were arrested on 8 December 2025 and are currently being prosecuted in a Federal High Court in Ibadan, according to the statement.
Babafemi said at the time of Taofik’s arrest, 3.085 kilograms of skunk and a Toyota Camry car marked EPE 299 JZ were recovered from him.
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He said in Osun State, a 65-year-old driver, Oladayo Awoyemi, was arrested last Thursday at Ile-Ife toll gate along the Ibadan-Ilesha Expressway while conveying a carton containing 7kg of skunk and 15 grams of methamphetamine in his vehicle with registration number LES 114 AG.
A follow-up operation in Ilesha town led to the arrest of the consignment's actual owner, Ifedayo Babalola, 40.
The Agency's Spokesman said a 27-year-old suspect, Yahaya Shehu, was arrested last Wednesday by NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Damaturu-Maiduguri road, Borno State, following credible intelligence, leading to the seizure of 76,440 pills of Tramadol (225mg).
In another operation in Borno, a truck driver, Magaji Isa, 30, was arrested following the interception of 14,000 capsules of Tramadol, while a follow-up operation in Biu led to the arrest of the owner, Abdulhamid Mahmud, 28, Babafemi said.
He said a total of 393 compressed blocks of skunk, weighing 290 kilograms, were recovered from two suspects, Ojo Major Ebose, 36, and Chika Obiechefula, 32, on Saturday, 2 May, when their Honda Ridgeline vehicle marked KSF 65 EQ was intercepted by NDLEA officers on patrol along the Abuja-Jos highway in Kaduna.
Babafemi said no fewer than 49,800 capsules of Tramadol were seized from another set of suspects, Ahmed Garba (a.k.a. Fangale), 50, and Sale Mohammed, 41, along Bauchi Road, Hadejia, Jigawa State, on Friday, 1 May.
"In Lagos State, NDLEA officers on Saturday, 2 May, raided Awolowo Market, Mushin, where they recovered 740kg of skunk, while an intelligence-led operation at Idogbo community, Benin City, Edo State, on Thursday, 30 April, led to the arrest of a suspect, Godstime Godspower, 25.
"Assorted illicit drugs seized from him include 57 grams of Loud, 3 grams of Colorado, 8 grams of Tramadol, 3 grams of Swinol, and 5 grams of methamphetamine.
"With the same zeal, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities, among others, in the past week.
"These include WADA enlightenment lectures for students and staff of Day Secondary School, Edozhigi, Gbako LGA, Niger State; Khulafa’ul Rashidun Islamiyya, Rano, Kano; Community Secondary School, Akweze, Anambra; commercial motorcyclists and their passengers at Poka Junction, Epe, Lagos; and members of NAPPMED in Benin, Irrua, and Auchi, Edo State, among others.
"While commending the officers and men of the Abia, Ekiti, Edo, Borno, Kaduna, Jigawa, Oyo, Osun, and Lagos Commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitisation activities, while charging them and their compatriots across the country to continue to build on the current tempo," the statement reads.
