NDLEA Arrests Two Grandpas for Drug Trafficking
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested an 83-year-old man, Pa John Ofiel, a 78-year-old, Ogunjobi Samuel, and several other suspects across different states in a nationwide clampdown on illicit drug trafficking and distribution.
The agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, disclosed that Pa Ofiel was apprehended on Tuesday, 28th April 2026, during a raid at Samek by Powerline, Aba, Abia State, following credible intelligence linking him to drug-dealing activities.
He said 700 grams of skunk, a strain of cannabis packaged in retail sachets, were recovered from him at the time of arrest.
According to him, the octogenarian claimed he was formerly a professional shoemaker before venturing into the illicit drug trade.
In a similar operation, NDLEA operatives in Ekiti State arrested 78-year-old Ogunjobi Samuel on Thursday, 30th April, at his residence on H22 Owode Street, Ilupeju-Ekiti for drug peddling.
Babafemi stated that 350 grams of skunk were recovered from the suspect during the operation.
Also in Oyo State, two women, Rebecca King, 24, and Olaniyan Opeyemi, 31, were arrested in connection with the seizure of 1.925kg of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis.
Rebecca was intercepted while transporting the substance along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Wednesday, 29th April.
Opeyemi was later arrested during a follow-up operation at Iwo Road, Ibadan, while attempting to collect the consignment.
In another operation in Ibadan, a suspected drug dealer, 49-year-old Taofik Adeyemi, was arrested on Saturday, 2nd May, alongside his associate Mustapha Oyerinde, 28, at his residence in the Erunmu area after months of evading arrest.
Two of his associates, Abiodun Abiola and Aderinde Ibrahim, had earlier been arrested on 8th December 2025 and are currently being prosecuted at the Federal High Court in Ibadan.
At the time of Adeyemi’s arrest, 3.085 kilograms of skunk and a Toyota Camry with registration number EPE 299 JZ were recovered.
In Osun State, 65-year-old driver Oladayo Awoyemi was arrested on Thursday, 30th April, at Ile-Ife toll gate along the Ibadan-Ilesa Expressway.
He was caught conveying a carton containing 7kg of skunk and 15 grams of methamphetamine in a vehicle with registration number LES 114 AG.
A follow-up operation in Ilesa led to the arrest of the suspected owner of the consignment, Ifedayo Babalola, 40.
In Borno State, Yahaya Shehu, 27, was arrested on Wednesday, 29th April along the Damaturu-Maiduguri Road with 76,440 pills of Tramadol 225mg following intelligence reports.
In a separate operation, truck driver Magaji Isa, 30, was arrested after the interception of 14,000 capsules of Tramadol, while a follow-up raid in Biu led to the arrest of the alleged owner, Abdulhamid Mahmud, 28.
On Saturday, 2nd May, NDLEA operatives intercepted 393 blocks of skunk weighing 290 kilograms along the Abuja-Jos-Kaduna highway.
Two suspects, Ojo Major Ebose, 36, and Chika Obiechefula, 32, were arrested in connection with the seizure after their Honda Ridgeline vehicle was stopped.
In Jigawa State, 49,800 capsules of Tramadol were recovered from Ahmed Garba, also known as Fangale, 50, and Sale Mohammed, 41, during an operation along Bauchi Road in Hadejia on Friday, 1st May.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
