NDLEA Arrests 82-Year-Old Woman, Daughter, Others For Drug Trafficking
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Sunday said it arrested multiple drug suspects, including two octogenarians and intercepted illicit drugs worth over N3.2bn.
This seizure, the Agency’s Director, Media and Advocacy Femi Babafemi said, followed coordinated operations across the country between May 13 and May 17, 2025.
According to the report, the operatives on Wednesday, May 14, combed the Barazana street, Dogarawa area of Sabon Gari LGA, Kaduna State, and arrested 80-year-old Ayuba Ashiru identified as a convicted drug dealer previously jailed between 2014 and 2024.
The agency recovered 2.3 kilograms of skunk packaged in retail-sized nylons and paper, noting that “Ayuba admitted to being involved in the drug trade for 46 years”.
Also on Saturday, May 17, a raid on a residence in Umuaguma Ntigha Uzor village, Abia State, led to the arrest of 82-year-old Mrs. Uloma Uchechi Sunday and her daughter, Chisom Uchechi (32).
The raid led to the confiscation of methamphetamine, tramadol, skunk, and N130,600 in cash.
The agency said the elderly woman admitted that she and her daughter continued the illicit trade after her son, who initially started the business, died two years ago.
It wrote, “She and her daughter took over the drug trade after her son, who started the business, died two years ago.”
Further operations according to the NDLEA led to multiple seizures across several states. On Friday, May 16,
“In Niger State, NDLEA operatives arrested Ismail Isah (29) on the Abuja-Kaduna highway, recovering an AK-47 rifle and two magazines concealed in a sack of maize. He is to be transferred to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.
“In Kwara State, officers arrested suspects Abdulwahab Quadir and Abdulraheem Ismail in the Gegele area of Ilorin, recovering 199,200 pills of tramadol. At Favour Lodge in Ilorin, a raid led to the arrest of Ibrahim Oladimeji Abdulateef, an HND 1 student of Kwara State Polytechnic, with 650 grams of Loud measured into 149 cups, allegedly for sale to fellow students.
“In Lagos, NDLEA’s Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted 250 grams of cocaine hidden in female headgear destined for Australia. The operation took place at a courier company.
“Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Nasarawa State arrested 60-year-old Welman Kengbo in Karu with 594.8 kilograms of skunk.”
On Thursday, May 15, officers in Niger State intercepted a Toyota Carina vehicle along the Mokwa-Jebba road, seizing 316 blocks of skunk weighing 143 kilograms.
It said, “A suspect, Idris Kamal (35), was arrested. Later the same day, at Chachi junction along Kaduna road, operatives arrested Emmanuel Hassan (26) with 14.3 kilograms of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Bello Aliyu (alias Liti, 39), identified as the owner of the consignment.
“Still, on May 15, NDLEA operatives in Taraba State arrested Shafiu Ismail (22) at Sabonlayin, Jalingo LGA, with 5,350 pills of tramadol and diazepam. In Jigawa State, Tijjani Mohammed (35) was arrested at Malamawa, Garki LGA, with 198 kilograms of skunk.
“Also, that day, officers in Lagos State arrested Oyenuga Toheeb along the Lekki/Epe expressway with 67.5 kilograms of skunk.”
On Wednesday, May 14, operatives at the Port Harcourt Ports complex in Onne, Rivers State, intercepted a shipment containing three million pills of tapentadol and carisoprodol royal 225mg, with a street value of N2.1bn.
The seizure followed intelligence that led to the container being watch-listed and examined jointly by the NDLEA, Nigeria Customs Service, and other security agencies.
At the Apapa seaport in Lagos on Tuesday, May 13, operatives intercepted a container falsely declared as carrying new car parts and accessories from India.
A joint examination with other security agencies uncovered 169,800 bottles of codeine syrup with a street value of over N1.1bn, concealed in the shipment.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), commended officers of DOGI, and those stationed in Abia, Kaduna, Kwara, PHIPC, Apapa, Lagos, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Taraba, and Niger for their roles in the week-long operations.
He said, “I praise officers in all commands for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts,” he stated.
NDLEA Arrests 82-Year-Old Woman, Daughter, Others For Drug Trafficking is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
