NDLEA Nabs 80-Year-Old Ex-Convict, 82-Year-Old Grandma, Recovers N3.2bn Worth of Illicit Drugs Across Nigeria
In an extraordinary nationwide crackdown, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested two octogenarians — an 80-year-old grandfather and an 82-year-old grandmother — alongside their younger accomplices, and intercepted opioids valued at over N3.2 billion at major ports in Lagos and Rivers State.
80-year-old Ayuba Ashiru, a previously convicted drug dealer who served a 10-year jail term from 2014 to 2024, was once again caught in the drug net. He was arrested on Wednesday, May 14, at Barazana Street, Dogarawa area of Sabon Gari Local Government Area, Kaduna State, after NDLEA operatives acted on credible intelligence. Officers recovered 2.3 kilograms of skunk neatly packaged in nylons and paper from his residence. In a chilling confession, Ayuba admitted, “I have been in the illicit drug trade for the past 46 years.”
Similarly, on Saturday, May 17, NDLEA operatives raided the home of Mrs. Uloma Uchechi Sunday, 82, at Umuaguma Ntigha Uzor village in Abia State, where various quantities of methamphetamine, tramadol, and skunk were found. Also arrested was her daughter, Chisom Uchechi, 32. Cash totaling N130,600 believed to be proceeds from drug sales was also seized. During interrogation, the elderly woman shockingly confessed, “My daughter and I took over the drug trade after my son who started the business died two years ago.”
At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State, 3 million pills of tapentadol and carisoprodol royal 225mg, with an estimated street value of N2.1 billion, were intercepted in a container flagged by the agency. The seizure occurred on Wednesday, May 14, during a joint operation with Customs and other security agencies. The following day, Tuesday, May 13, at the Apapa Seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives uncovered another cache of 169,800 bottles of codeine syrup concealed among new car parts in a shipment from India. The street value is estimated at over N1.1 billion.
In Ilorin, Kwara State, a large stash of tramadol pills — 199,200 in total — was recovered from Abdulwahab Quadir and Abdulraheem Ismail on Friday, May 16. NDLEA also raided Favour Lodge, where Ibrahim Oladimeji Abdulateef, an HND 1 student of Kwara State Polytechnic, was arrested. Officers found 650 grams of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, divided into 149 cups intended for sale to fellow students.
In Lagos, the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) of NDLEA uncovered 250 grams of cocaine ingeniously hidden inside female headgear destined for Australia. The discovery was made on Friday, May 16.
In Niger State, a Toyota Carina transporting 316 blocks of skunk weighing 143kg was intercepted on May 15. Suspect Idris Kamal, 35, was arrested. Another suspect, Emmanuel Hassan, 26, was arrested at Chachi junction with 14.3kg of Loud, leading to the arrest of the drug owner, Bello Aliyu (alias Liti), 39. A 60-year-old man, Welman Kengbo, was caught with 594.8kg of skunk in Karu, Nasarawa State on May 16. Meanwhile, Oyenuga Toheeb was arrested with 67.5kg of skunk along the Lekki/Epe expressway in Lagos on May 15. In Jalingo, Taraba State, NDLEA recovered 5,350 pills of tramadol and diazepam from Shafiu Ismail, 22, while Tijjani Mohammed, 35, was found with 198kg of skunk in Jigawa State on the same day.
In a significant security twist, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Abuja-Kaduna highway on Friday, May 16, arrested Ismail Isah, 29, with an AK-47 rifle and two magazines hidden inside a sack of maize. He is to be handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.
The agency also ramped up its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign with sensitization lectures held at various schools including Supreme International School in Kano, Al-Arifeen International Academy in Kaduna, Nadado Primary School in Katsina, Ila Orangun Grammar School in Osun State, and Government Secondary School in Onne, Rivers State.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), lauded the commitment of NDLEA Commands across Abia, Kaduna, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Taraba, and other states for their diligent efforts. “The success of the past week reflects the strength of our resolve to disrupt both supply and demand chains of illicit drugs across Nigeria,” he stated.
