The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 75-year-old grandfather, a 33-year-old major drug supplier, and several other suspects in a series of nationwide raids that led to the seizure of massive consignments of cannabis, opioids, and other illicit substances.
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrests in a statement issued on Sunday.
According to the agency, the septuagenarian suspect, Uchelue Ikechukwu, was apprehended at Umudioka in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State with 26.7kg of cannabis (skunk) on Thursday, August 28.
Six other suspects — Eneh Makuo, Emmanuel Chiemeli, Uwakwe Matthew, Chukwujekwu Ehirim, Ifeanyichukwu Olisa, and Odoh Chukwuma — were arrested in Nkwelle and Amichi areas of the state with varying quantities of opioids and cannabis.
In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives, supported by the Nigerian Army, the Forest Security Service, Mambila Youth Vanguard and local vigilantes, stormed a 71.5-hectare cannabis farm in Mayodoga forest, Sardauna Local Government Area, destroying 178,750 kilograms of cannabis.
The farm owner, Alfa Andrew, 30, was arrested with a Dane gun.
In Borno, a 33-year-old identified as Uchenna Umeh, described as a major opioid supplier, was arrested in Maiduguri shortly after receiving a consignment from Onitsha, Anambra State.
A search of his apartment in the Chescon, Pompomari area of Maiduguri led to the recovery of 30,640 tramadol pills, 7,940 rohypnol tablets, and N7.99 million in cash — mostly in newly printed N200 notes.
Babafemi further revealed that operatives intercepted a fuel tanker loaded with 104,900 tramadol capsules concealed in the driver’s compartment along the Abuja–Kaduna highway on Friday, August 29. The suspect, Hassan Buba, was arrested on the spot.
In another operation at the Gwargwaje-Zaria checkpoint, Kabir Sulaiman, 45, was caught with 34.15kg of cannabis.
Across other states, NDLEA operatives made more arrests:
Nasarawa: Two suspects, Abubakar Dauda (36) and Babangida Tungura (47), were caught with over 109,000 pills of tramadol, diazepam, and codeine syrup concealed in a freezer.
Adamawa: A 23-year-old, Mohammed Ali, was arrested after his consignment of 15,000 tramadol capsules concealed in sacks of animal feed was intercepted at Gombe mega park.
Kano: Four suspects, including 20-year-old Ashiru Garba and 22-year-old Aminu Abdu, were arrested with 25,000 exol-5 pills and 1.5kg of cannabis, while others were nabbed with 8,080 bottles of new psychoactive substances.
The NDLEA spokesman stressed that the agency will sustain its nationwide crackdown on drug cartels, warning that age or status would not shield offenders.
“The arrests and seizures once again underscore NDLEA’s resolve to dismantle drug supply chains across the country,” Babafemi stated.
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