By Nkechi Eze
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intensified their nationwide offensive against drug trafficking networks, arresting several suspects including a 93-year-old great grandfather and a 69-year-old medical doctor in a series of intelligence-led operations across multiple states.
The arrests and seizures were disclosed in a statement by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who said the operations were carried out across Abia, Ogun, Imo, Niger, Lagos, Edo, Borno and the Federal Capital Territory.
In Abia State, operatives arrested a 93-year-old suspect, Pa Friday Ahukanna Chigbu, at his residence in Umuagbaigba, Amavo Nkwogu village in Osisioma Local Government Area on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. A search of his home led to the recovery of 7.7 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis.
According to Babafemi, the elderly suspect told investigators he had previously worked as a truck pusher before learning painting and tiling. He said he ventured into the illicit drug trade about a year ago, adding that he had been smoking skunk since 1959 before eventually turning it into a business.
In a separate operation targeting an international drug syndicate, NDLEA operatives arrested a 41-year-old Ivorian national, Gohouri Michael, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport during the outward clearance of passengers for an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 bound for Milan via Addis Ababa.
Michael, also known as Anunwa Onyinye Michael, was found with 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49 kilograms. Investigations revealed he had arrived in Lagos from Milan on January 17, 2026, and shuttled between Lagos and Enugu for three weeks before travelling to Kano, where he stayed for a week and ingested the cocaine in his hotel room. He reportedly expected a payment of €5,000 upon successful delivery of the drugs in Milan.
Further investigation uncovered a hidden figure coordinating the operation. The suspect was identified as a 69-year-old medical doctor, Dr. Chudi Daniel Ofomata, who was later tracked to his residence at Teachers’ Land Estate in Magboro, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. He was arrested on March 27 and subsequently flown to Kano on April 7. Recovered from him at the point of arrest were 63 grams of promazepam and seven ampoules of promethazine injection.
Meanwhile, in Ogun State, three suspects Azeez Sanni, Olayinka Oke and Adekunle Adeyemi were arrested with 34 kilograms of skunk during a raid at the Sango Under Bridge area of Sango Ota on April 7.
In Imo State, operatives recovered 56.2 kilograms of the same substance from a 26-year-old female suspect, Ayoka Akinwale, along the Onitsha–Owerri road in Owerri on April 11.
NDLEA officers in Niger State also arrested a couple, Abdullahi Umar, 32, and his wife Adama Umar, 25, during a search of their residence in Takuti village in Lapai Local Government Area on April 9. A total of 118 kilograms of skunk was recovered from their kitchen.
In Borno State, officers on patrol along the Damaturu–Maiduguri road at Njimtilo intercepted a trailer loaded with vehicle spare parts coming from Nnewi, Anambra State. A search led to the discovery of 42,290 tablets of Rohypnol, 82,700 millilitres of codeine syrup and 10,000 millilitres of pentazocine injection. The owner of the consignment, Eleje Ibeabuchi, 43, was arrested in a follow-up operation.
In Lagos, operatives acting on credible intelligence intercepted a Chisco Transport luxury bus along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway on April 7. A search of the vehicle uncovered 15 kilograms of Scottish Loud, a potent strain of cannabis concealed in one of the compartments. Two suspects, Kingsley Nsofor and Opara Ifeanyi, were arrested.
Another operation in the Mushin area of Lagos on April 11 led to the interception of a truck conveying assorted goods to Onitsha, Anambra State. Officers recovered 26,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup and arrested two suspects, Adesunloye Dada and Chibuzor Chime.
In the Federal Capital Territory, NDLEA operatives raided the notorious Tora Bora drug joint in Abuja on April 11, arresting eight suspects including Abubakar Muhammad, Ali Isiaka, Obed Moses, Ibrahim Musa, Attahiru Audu, Kabiru Buhari, Oloruntoba Samuel and Ellah Gyandi. A combined 11.516 kilograms of skunk was seized during the raid.
A major interception was also recorded in Edo State, where operatives acting on actionable intelligence stopped two long trucks along Warrake Road in Auchi. The trucks, marked LUY 172 XC and LUY 281 XC, were found to be transporting bags of processed skunk concealed among cartons of beer.
One of the trucks contained 3,900 kilograms of skunk while the second carried 3,345 kilograms, bringing the total seizure to 7,245 kilograms. Five suspects Ibrahim Abu, 29; Abu Abdullazeez, 28; Jibril Jaminu, 35; Andrew Moses, 22; and Ganiyu Abu, 21 were arrested in connection with the consignment, which had been loaded at Sabongida-Ora in Owan West Local Government Area and was headed for Abuja.
Beyond enforcement operations, the agency also sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign across several states. Sensitization lectures were delivered to students and staff of schools including Child Best School in Ikorodu, Lagos; Government Science Secondary School in Ajaokuta, Kogi; Community Girls Secondary School in Danja, Katsina; and Government Girls Secondary School in Dabo, Kano. Outreach programmes were also conducted for drivers, passengers and park workers at Oban-Aningheje Motor Park in Calabar, Cross River State, as well as members of the Anglican Youths Fellowship Diocese in Okinin, Osun State.
Commending officers and men of the agency’s commands in Kano, Abia, Lagos, Imo, Borno, Ogun, Niger, Edo and the Federal Capital Territory for the arrests and seizures recorded over the past week, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Buba Marwa, praised their commitment.
He also lauded officers across other commands nationwide for maintaining a balance between efforts aimed at reducing drug supply and those focused on drug demand reduction through sustained public enlightenment and advocacy campaigns.
