The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA , has arrested two octogenarians, Pa John Ofiel, 83, and Ogunjobi Samuel, 78, in separate operations linked to drug trafficking in Abia and Ekiti states, as operatives intensified nationwide enforcement against illicit drug activities.
The arrests were disclosed on Sunday in a statement by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
According to the statement, Pa Ofiel was arrested by NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, April 28, during a raid at Samek by Powerline in Aba, Abia State, following credible intelligence linking him to the sale of 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 agency said.
The 83-year-old suspect reportedly told investigators that he was formerly a professional shoemaker before venturing into drug trafficking.
In a separate operation in Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives arrested 78-year-old Samuel on Thursday, April 30, at his residence on Owode Street, Ilupeju-Ekiti, over alleged drug peddling.
The agency said 350 grams of skunk were recovered from him at the time of his arrest.
In Oyo State, two women identified as Rebecca King, 24, and Olaniyan Opeyemi, 31, were arrested in connection with the seizure of 1.925kg of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis.
Rebecca was arrested while conveying the substance along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Wednesday, April 29, while Opeyemi was apprehended during a follow-up operation at Iwo Road, Ibadan, when she allegedly attempted to take delivery of the consignment.
The anti-narcotics agency also arrested a 49-year-old suspected drug dealer, Taofik Adeyemi, alongside his salesman, Mustapha Oyerinde, 28, on Saturday, May 2, at his residence in the Erunmu area of Ibadan.
The agency said two of Adeyemi’s associates had earlier been arrested in December 2025 and are currently being prosecuted at the Federal High Court in Ibadan.
Items recovered from him included 3.085kg of skunk and a Toyota Camry with registration number EPE 299 JZ.
In Osun State, a 65-year-old driver, Oladayo Awoyemi, was arrested on Thursday, April 30, at the Ile-Ife toll gate along the Ibadan-Ilesa Expressway while allegedly transporting a carton containing 7kg of skunk and 15 grams of methamphetamine.
A follow-up operation in Ilesa led to the arrest of the alleged owner of the consignment, Ifedayo Babalola, 40.
In Borno State, NDLEA operatives arrested Yahaya Shehu, 27, on Wednesday, April 29, along the Damaturu-Maiduguri Road after intelligence led to the seizure of 76,440 tablets of Tramadol 225mg.
In a related operation, a truck driver, Magaji Isa, 30, was arrested after operatives intercepted 14,000 capsules of Tramadol, while a follow-up operation in Biu led to the arrest of the alleged owner, Abdulhamid Mahmud, 28.
In Kaduna State, operatives intercepted a Honda Ridgeline vehicle along the Abuja-Jos Highway and recovered 393 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 290kg from Ojo Major Ebose, 36, and Chika Obiechefula, 32.
Similarly, in Jigawa State, 49,800 capsules of Tramadol were seized from Ahmed Garba, also known as Fangale, 50, and Sale Mohammed, 41, along Bauchi Road in Hadejia.
In Lagos State, NDLEA operatives raided Awolowo Market in Mushin on Saturday, May 2, where 740kg of skunk was recovered.
In Edo State, an intelligence-led operation at Idogbo community in Benin City on Thursday, April 30, led to the arrest of Godstime Godspower, 25, with assorted illicit substances including Loud, Colorado, Tramadol, Swinol, and methamphetamine.
The agency added that its commands across the country had continued anti-drug abuse sensitisation campaigns in schools, worship centres, markets, and transport hubs.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers of the affected state commands for their efforts and urged them to sustain the momentum in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
