The 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, Abia State.
The suspects, identified as 84-year-old Godfrey Orji and 75-year-old Godwin Obulunbiya Obiora, were arrested in separate operations by NDLEA operatives.
According to a statement on Sunday by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Obiora was arrested on June 19 following intelligence reports that he was selling illicit substances from his patent medicine store to students and other users.
Babafemi said 4.64 kilograms of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam, were recovered from the suspect during a search of his premises at 4 Club Road, Umuahia.
In a separate operation, Orji, a pensioner, was arrested after he was allegedly caught supplying illicit drugs to students of Saint Silas Secondary School, Old Umuahia.
Babafemi said security guards at the school apprehended him while he was delivering drugs to two teenage students and subsequently handed him over to the police, who transferred him to the NDLEA on June 18.
He added that during interrogation, a 15-year-old Senior Secondary School Two student admitted that the 84-year-old suspect regularly supplied him with drugs, which he also distributed to other students.
The NDLEA said both suspects would be prosecuted, while the affected students had been placed under counselling and rehabilitation programmes.
Meanwhile, the agency announced several other drug seizures and arrests across the country.
In Lagos, operatives intercepted 9.5 kilograms of ADB-Chminaca, a synthetic cannabinoid, concealed in a carton at a courier company. The shipment originated from China.
On June 16, another operation led to the seizure of 300 grams of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, hidden in ladies’ handbags at a logistics firm in Lagos.
The agency also raided the residence of a wanted drug dealer, Lukman Badmus, also known as Lukman Ogombo, in the Ogombo area of Ajah, Lagos, recovering nine bottles of codeine syrup and 30 grams of skunk.
A follow-up operation at the suspect’s wife’s shop on Lagos Island led to the recovery of two additional bottles of codeine and drug paraphernalia. Officers also discovered 42 compressed blocks of skunk weighing 22.5 kilograms hidden in a mini-bus parked nearby. An attempt by the suspect’s wife, Aisha Saraki, to dispose of evidence was reportedly foiled by operatives.
In Kogi State, NDLEA officers intercepted 33-year-old Tochukwu Onah along the Okene–Lokoja Highway with 1.03 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in custard containers while travelling from Lagos to Abuja.
The agency also confirmed the arrest of two suspects, James Tony Chukwudi (48) and James Kehinde (35), who were wanted in connection with the seizure of 117 kilograms of skunk in Ekiti State in March.
In Oyo State, operatives arrested 75-year-old Tudun Olubiyi alongside Nasiru Buhari (22) and Buba Musa (47) during a raid in the Dangote area of Elekara, Oyo Town. A total of 1,416 kilograms of skunk packed in 118 jumbo bags and covered with sawdust were recovered.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives destroyed large cannabis plantations in Khagba Forest, Owan East Local Government Area, recovering 169 kilograms of processed cannabis after destroying 1,744.075 kilograms of skunk.
In a separate operation at Ebora Camp, Ilushi, Esan South Local Government Area, 2,424.945 kilograms of cannabis were destroyed, while a suspect, Augustine Anyamone (45), was arrested with 395 kilograms of skunk.
Commending the officers involved, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised the Abia, Lagos, Oyo, Kogi, Edo and Ekiti commands for the arrests and seizures.
Marwa said the agency’s efforts to reduce drug supply were being complemented by its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaign.
He urged officers nationwide not to relent in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
