Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two elderly men, aged 84 and 75, for allegedly supplying and selling illicit drugs to secondary school students in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, as part of a nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking and abuse.
The suspects, identified as 84-year-old Godfrey Orji and 75-year-old Godwin Obulunbiya Obiora, were arrested in separate operations following intelligence reports and investigations by the anti-narcotics agency.
In a statement issued Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said Obiora was arrested on June 19 after authorities received information that he was allegedly selling controlled substances from his patent medicine store in Umuahia.
According to the agency, a search of the premises led to the recovery of 4.64 kilograms of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam.
“Credible intelligence indicated that he was selling illicit substances to young students and other users from his patent medicine store,” Babafemi said.
In a separate operation, Orji, a pensioner, was arrested after being accused of supplying drugs to students at Saint Silas Secondary School in Old Umuahia.
The agency said school security personnel apprehended the suspect while allegedly providing drugs to two teenage students and subsequently handed him over to police authorities, who transferred the case to NDLEA investigators.
Babafemi said one of the students, a 15-year-old Senior Secondary School student, told investigators that Orji had regularly supplied him with drugs, which he allegedly used and resold to fellow students.
The NDLEA said both elderly suspects would face prosecution, while the students involved have been enrolled in counseling and rehabilitation programs.
Nationwide Drug Seizures
The arrests were part of a series of anti-drug operations conducted across several states, resulting in significant seizures of narcotics and the arrest of suspected traffickers.
In Lagos State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a 9.5-kilogram shipment of ADB Chminaca, a synthetic cannabinoid classified as a dangerous psychoactive substance. The package, which originated from China, was concealed inside a carton at a courier facility.
Authorities also seized 300 grams of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, hidden inside women’s handbags at a logistics company in Lagos.
In another operation, officers raided the residence of a wanted suspect, Lukman Badmus, also known as Lukman Ogombo, in the Ogombo area of Ajah, Lagos.
Investigators recovered nine bottles of codeine syrup and 30 grams of skunk, a high-potency form of cannabis, from the property.
A subsequent raid at a shop operated by the suspect’s wife, Aisha Saraki, on Lagos Island led to the recovery of two additional bottles of codeine, drug paraphernalia and 42 compressed blocks of skunk weighing 22.5 kilograms.
According to the NDLEA, operatives prevented an attempt to destroy evidence after Saraki allegedly tried to flush some of the drugs down a toilet during the operation.
Methamphetamine Intercepted in Kogi
In Kogi State, officers arrested a 33-year-old suspect, Tochukwu Onah, along the Okene-Lokoja highway while traveling from Lagos to Abuja.
The agency said investigators discovered 1.03 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed inside custard containers during a search.
Authorities also confirmed the arrest of two suspects, James Tony Chukwudi, 48, and James Kehinde, 35, who had been wanted in connection with the seizure of 117 kilograms of skunk in Ekiti State earlier this year.
Massive Cannabis Seizures in Oyo and Edo
In Oyo State, NDLEA operatives arrested three suspects, including 75-year-old Tudun Olubiyi, during a raid on a residence in the Dangote area of Elekara, Oyo town.
The agency said officers recovered 118 jumbo bags containing approximately 1,416 kilograms of skunk concealed beneath sawdust.
Meanwhile, in Edo State, anti-drug operatives raided cannabis plantations in Khagba Forest in Owan East Local Government Area, destroying more than 1,744 kilograms of cannabis and recovering 169 kilograms of processed cannabis products.
Another operation at Ebora Camp in Ilushi, Esan South-East Local Government Area, led to the destruction of nearly 2,425 kilograms of cannabis and the arrest of a 45-year-old suspect, Augustine Anyamone, who was allegedly found in possession of 395 kilograms of skunk.
NDLEA Commends Officers
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, praised officers involved in the operations across Abia, Lagos, Kogi, Oyo, Ekiti and Edo states.
Marwa said the agency’s enforcement activities were being complemented by its nationwide War Against Drug Abuse campaign, aimed at reducing drug demand through public education and awareness.
He urged officers to remain committed to combating drug trafficking and substance abuse across the country.
“We must not rest on our laurels in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse,” Marwa said.
The latest arrests and seizures underscore the agency’s ongoing efforts to curb the distribution of illegal drugs, particularly among young people, while targeting trafficking networks operating across Nigeria.
