The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 83-year-old Pa John Ofiel and 78-year-old Ogunjobi Samuel for drug trafficking. The arrests were made during an ongoing nationwide crackdown on illicit drug traffickers and dealers, according to a statement released on Sunday by NDLEA Media and Advocacy Director Femi Babafemi.
- +NDLEA arrests two octogenarians for drug trafficking in Abia, Ekiti
Ofiel was apprehended during a raid at Samek by Powerline, Aba, Abia State, following credible intelligence regarding his involvement in the trade of illicit substances.
Ofiel was apprehended during a raid at Samek by Powerline, Aba, Abia State, following credible intelligence regarding his involvement in the trade of illicit substances. At the time of his arrest, operatives recovered 700 grams of skunk, a strain of cannabis, packaged in retail sachets. The octogenarian claimed he was a professional shoemaker before entering the illegal drug trade.
In a separate operation in Ekiti State, agency operatives arrested 78-year-old Ogunjobi Samuel at his residence on Owode Street, Ilupeju-Ekiti. Authorities seized 350 grams of cannabis from him during the raid on Thursday.
In Oyo State, NDLEA operatives arrested two women, Rebecca King, 24, and Olaniyan Opeyemi, 31, in connection with the seizure of 1.925kg of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis. King was intercepted on Wednesday, 29 April, while conveying the consignment along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Opeyemi was arrested during a follow-up operation at Iwo Road, Ibadan, as she attempted to take delivery of the cargo.
Ibadan-based drug dealer Taofik Adeyemi, 49, was arrested on Saturday, 2 May, alongside his salesman, Mustapha Oyerinde, 28. Adeyemi had reportedly evaded arrest for months. Two of his associates, Abiodun Abiola and Aderinde Ibrahim, were previously arrested in December 2025 and are facing prosecution at the Federal High Court in Ibadan. During Adeyemi’s arrest, officers recovered 3.085kg of skunk and a Toyota Camry.
In Osun State, 65-year-old driver Oladayo Awoyemi was intercepted at the Ile-Ife toll gate on Thursday, 30 April. His vehicle contained 7kg of skunk and 15 grams of methamphetamine. A subsequent operation in Ilesha led to the arrest of the consignment’s owner, 40-year-old Ifedayo Babalola.
On Wednesday, 29 April, 27-year-old Yahaya Shehu was arrested on the Damaturu-Maiduguri road in Borno State with 76,440 pills of Tramadol (225mg). In a separate Borno operation, truck driver Magaji Isa, 30, was caught with 14,000 capsules of Tramadol, leading to the arrest of the owner, Abdulhamid Mahmud, 28, in Biu.
Furthermore, 290kg of compressed skunk was recovered from Ojo Major Ebose, 36, and Chika Obiechefula, 32, on the Abuja-Jos highway on Saturday, 2 May. In Jigawa State, 49,800 capsules of Tramadol were seized from Ahmed Garba, 50, and Sale Mohammed, 41, on Friday, 1 May.
A raid at Awolowo Market in Lagos on Saturday resulted in the recovery of 740kg of skunk. Meanwhile, in Edo State, an intelligence-led operation at Idogbo community on Thursday led to the arrest of 25-year-old Godstime Godspower. Authorities seized an assortment of drugs including Loud, Colorado, Tramadol, Swinol, and methamphetamine.
Alongside enforcement, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities. Lectures and enlightenment sessions were held for students in Niger, Kano, and Anambra states, as well as for commercial motorcyclists in Epe, Lagos, and patent medicine dealers across Edo State.
