NDLEA arrests 80-year-old ex-convict, grandma, daughter; intercepts N3.2bn opioid

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested an 80-year-old grandpa, Ayuba Ashiru and an 82-year-old grandma, Mrs. Uloma Sunday, as well as her daughter, Chisom Uchechi, in raids carried out across the country.

A statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Sunday said opioids worth over N3.2 billion were intercepted at Apapa seaport in Lagos and Port Harcourt port, Onne, Rivers state.

Ayuba, who had previously been arrested and prosecuted by NDLEA for drug dealing offences, was convicted and served a 10-year jail term between 2014 and 2024. He was again arrested on 14th May 2025 at Barazana street, Dogarawa area of Sabon Gari LGA, Kaduna State by NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence.

A total of 2.3 kilograms of skunk packaged in nylons and papers in retail sizes were recovered from Ayuba, who claimed to have been in the illicit drug trade for the past 46 years.

Similarly, NDLEA operatives in Abia state on Saturday raided the home of 82-year-old Mrs. Uloma Uchechi Sunday at Umuaguma Ntigha Uzor village, where different quantities of methamphetamine, tramadol and skunk, a strain of cannabis, as well as a cash exhibit of N130,600 were recovered from her and her daughter, 32-year-old Chisom Uchechi.

Babafemi said the grandma confessed that she and her daughter took over the drug trade after her son, who started the business, died two years ago.

At the Port Harcourt Ports complex in Onne, Rivers state, a total of three million pills of tapentadol and carisoprodol royal 225mg worth N2.1 billion in street value, were intercepted in one of the containers watch-listed by the Agency based on intelligence. The seizure was made on 14th May during a joint examination of the container by NDLEA officers, men of the Customs Service and other security agencies.

In like manner, NDLEA operatives at the Apapa seaport in Lagos on 13th May, intercepted another watch-listed container declared to have new car parts and accessories from India. During a joint examination with other security agencies, a total of 169,800 bottles of codeine syrup worth over N1.1 billion in street value were discovered concealed in the shipment.

In Kwara state, no fewer than 199,200 pills of tramadol were recovered from two suspects, Abdulwahab Quadir and Abdulraheem Ismail on Friday, following their arrest at Gegele area of Ilorin by NDLEA operatives who also raided Favour Lodge in the state capital, where an HND 1 student of the Department of Laboratory Science Technology, Kwara State Polytechnic, Ibrahim Oladimeji Abdulateef was arrested with 650grams of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis already measured in 149 cups, which he sells to other students.

At a courier company in Lagos, NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) on Friday, intercepted 250grams of cocaine concealed in female headgear going to Australia.

In Niger state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Mokwa-Jebba road on Thursday, intercepted a Toyota Carina car marked AGL 945 BK conveying 316 blocks of skunk weighing 143kg while a suspect, Idris Kamal was arrested. Same day, operatives on patrol at Chachi junction along Kaduna road arrested Emmanuel Hassan with 14.3kg Loud. A swift follow-up operation led to the arrest of the actual owner of the consignment, Bello Aliyu (alias Liti).

While a 60-year-old suspect, Welman Kengbo was nabbed by NDLEA officers with 594.8kg of skunk at Karu area of Nasarawa state on Friday, another suspect, Oyenuga Toheeb, was arrested along Lekki/Epe expressway, Lagos on 15th May with 67.5kg of the same psychoactive substance.

In Taraba state, 5,350 pills of tramadol and diazepam were recovered from a suspect, Shafiu Ismail when he was arrested on 15th May at Sabonlayin, Jalingo LGA, while Tijjani Mohammed was nabbed with 198kg of skunk at Malamawa, Garki LGA, Jigawa state same day.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Abuja – Kaduna highway on Friday, intercepted a 29-year-old Ismail Isah with an AK-47 rifle and two magazines concealed in a sack of maize.

The statement said, he will be transferred to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.

The statement said, the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country in the past week.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers and men of the various Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, as well as pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

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