NEWS
NDLEA Arrests 84-Year-Old Pensioner, 75-Year-Old Man For Alleged Drug Supply To Students In Abia
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two elderly men, aged 84 and 75, for allegedly engaging in the supply and sale of 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 carried out by operatives of the anti-narcotics agency following intelligence-led investigations.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, one of the suspects, Obiora, was arrested on June 19 after intelligence reports revealed that he was allegedly selling illicit substances to students and other users from his patent medicine store.
Babafemi explained that NDLEA operatives recovered a quantity of opioids during a search of Obiora’s premises.
“Pa Obiora was arrested by NDLEA operatives on Friday, 19th June 2026, following credible intelligence that he was selling illicit substances to young students and others in his patent medicine store located at 4 Club Road, Umuahia, where 4.64 kilograms of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam, were recovered from him during a search of his premises,” he said.
The agency also revealed that the second suspect, Orji, a pensioner, was apprehended after allegedly supplying illicit drugs to students of Saint Silas Secondary School, Old Umuahia.
“In his case, Pa Orji, who is a pensioner and also into the illicit drug trade, was nabbed by security guards at Saint Silas Secondary School, Old Umuahia, for supplying illicit drugs to two teenage students in the school. The guards thereafter handed them over to the police, who in turn transferred them to NDLEA on Thursday, 18th June,” Babafemi stated.
During interrogation, one of the teenagers, a 15-year-old Senior Secondary School Two student, allegedly disclosed that the elderly suspect had been supplying him with drugs.
“In his statement, one of the two teenagers, a 15-year-old SS2 student, claimed the 84-year-old grandpa supplies him the drugs, which he takes and also sells to fellow students,” the statement added.
The NDLEA said the two elderly suspects would face prosecution, while the students involved had been placed under counselling and rehabilitation programmes to address the issue and prevent further involvement in drug-related activities.
Beyond Abia State, the NDLEA disclosed that its operatives carried out several successful operations across the country, resulting in multiple arrests and the seizure of various illicit substances.
In Lagos State, operatives intercepted a consignment of ADB-Chminaca, a synthetic cannabinoid classified as a dangerous new psychoactive substance, at a courier company. The 9.5kg shipment, which originated from China, was concealed inside a carton.
Another operation in Lagos on June 16 led to the recovery of 300 grams of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, hidden inside ladies’ handbags at a logistics company.
The agency also carried out a raid on the residence of a wanted drug dealer, Lukman Badmus, popularly known as Lukman Ogombo, in Ogombo area of Ajah, Lagos.
“In another interdiction operation in Lagos, NDLEA officers on Friday, 19th June, raided the home of a wanted drug dealer, Lukman Badmus (a.k.a. Lukman Ogombo), in Ogombo area of Ajah, where nine bottles of codeine syrup and 30 grams of skunk were recovered,” Babafemi said.
He added that a follow-up operation at the suspect’s wife’s shop on Lagos Island resulted in the recovery of additional drug exhibits.
“A swift follow-up operation at Lukman’s wife’s shop in Patey area of Lagos Island led to the recovery of additional two bottles of codeine and drug paraphernalia, while 42 compressed blocks of skunk weighing 22.5kg were also recovered from a mini-bus parked in front of her shop. Attempt by the wife, Aisha Saraki, to flush some of the drug exhibits in the toilet during the raid was thwarted by operatives,” he said.
In Kogi State, NDLEA officers intercepted a 33-year-old suspect, Tochukwu Onah, along the Okene–Lokoja Highway with 1.030kg of methamphetamine allegedly concealed inside custard containers while travelling from Lagos to Abuja.
The agency also confirmed the arrest of James Tony Chukwudi, 48, and James Kehinde, 35, who had been wanted in connection with the seizure of 117kg of skunk in Ekiti State in March.
In Oyo State, a raid carried out in the Dangote area of Elekara, Oyo Town, led to the arrest of three suspects — 75-year-old Tudun Olubiyi, Nasiru Buhari, 22, and Buba Musa, 47.
Babafemi disclosed that operatives recovered “118 jumbo bags containing 1,416kg of skunk covered with sawdust” during the operation.
Similarly, in Edo State, NDLEA officers raided cannabis farms in Khagba Forest, Ikao, Owan East Local Government Area, where 1,744.075kg of skunk was destroyed and 169kg of processed cannabis recovered.
Another operation at Ebora Camp, Ilushi, in Esan South Local Government Area, resulted in the destruction of 2,424.945kg of cannabis, while Augustine Anyamone, 45, was arrested with 395kg of skunk.
Reacting to the series of operations, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers in Abia, Ekiti, Oyo, Lagos, Kogi and Edo States for their efforts in tackling drug trafficking and abuse.
Marwa noted that the agency’s supply reduction efforts were being complemented by its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaign.
He charged officers nationwide “not to rest on their laurels” in the ongoing figh
t against drug trafficking and substance abuse.