From shoemaker to drug trade: 83-year-old nabbed in NDLEA raid

Michael Olumide

An 83-year-old grandfather, Pa John Ofiel, and a 78-year-old Ogunjobi Samuel are among the suspects arrested in a sweeping nationwide operation by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) targeting drug traffickers and dealers.

According to the Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, Pa Ofiel was apprehended on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, during a raid at Samek area by Powerline in Aba, Abia State, following actionable intelligence linking him to illicit drug activities.

At the time of his arrest, operatives recovered 700 grams of skunk, a strain of cannabis, packaged in retail sachets. The octogenarian reportedly told investigators he had previously worked as a shoemaker before venturing into the drug trade.

In a related operation in Ekiti State, NDLEA officers on Thursday, April 30, arrested 78-year-old Ogunjobi Samuel at his residence on Owode Street, Ilupeju-Ekiti. A total of 350 grams of the same psychoactive substance was seized from him.

The agency’s operations also led to the arrest of two women in Oyo State. Rebecca King, 24, was intercepted along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway with 1.925 kilograms of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, while Olaniyan Opeyemi, 31, was arrested in a follow-up operation at Iwo Road, Ibadan, as she attempted to take delivery of the consignment.

In another breakthrough in Ibadan, a notorious drug dealer, Taofik Adeyemi, 49, who had evaded arrest for months, was finally apprehended on May 2 at his residence in the Erunmu area.

His associate, Mustapha Oyerinde, 28, was also arrested. Recovered from them were 3.085 kilograms of skunk and a Toyota Camry vehicle.

Two other members of the syndicate had earlier been arrested in December 2025 and are currently facing prosecution at the Federal High Court in Ibadan.

In Osun State, a 65-year-old driver, Oladayo Awoyemi, was arrested at the Ile-Ife toll gate along the Ibadan-Ilesha Expressway while transporting a carton containing 7 kilograms of skunk and 15 grams of methamphetamine. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the alleged owner of the consignment, Ifedayo Babalola, 40, in Ilesha.

Further north, NDLEA operatives recorded significant seizures in Borno State. A 27-year-old suspect, Yahaya Shehu, was arrested along the Damaturu-Maiduguri Road with 76,440 pills of Tramadol.

In a separate operation, 14,000 capsules of the same substance were intercepted from a truck driver, Magaji Isa, 30, while the alleged owner, Abdulhamid Mahmud, 28, was later arrested in Biu.

In Kaduna State, NDLEA officers intercepted a Honda Ridgeline vehicle along the Abuja-Jos Highway, recovering 290 kilograms of compressed skunk packed in 393 blocks.

Two suspects, Ojo Major Ebose, 36, and Chika Obiechefula, 32, were arrested in connection with the seizure.

Similarly, in Jigawa State, operatives seized 49,800 capsules of Tramadol from two suspects, Ahmed Garba, also known as Fangale, and Sale Mohammed, along Bauchi Road in Hadejia.

In Lagos, a major raid at Awolowo Market in Mushin on May 2 led to the recovery of 740 kilograms of skunk, underscoring the scale of drug trafficking activities in the commercial hub.

In Edo State, an intelligence-led operation in Idogbo community, Benin City, resulted in the arrest of a 25-year-old suspect, Godstime Godspower, with assorted illicit drugs, including Loud, Colorado, Tramadol, Swinol, and methamphetamine.

Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaign across the country, reaching schools, religious centres, workplaces, and communities. Awareness programmes were conducted in states including Niger, Kano, Anambra, Lagos, and Edo, targeting students, commercial motorcyclists, and other groups.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers across Abia, Ekiti, Edo, Borno, Kaduna, Jigawa, Oyo, Osun, and Lagos Commands for their efforts.

He emphasized the importance of sustaining the momentum in both drug supply reduction and preventive sensitization, urging continued commitment to the agency’s dual strategy.

The latest operations highlight the expanding scope of drug trafficking across age groups and regions, as well as the agency’s intensified resolve to combat the menace nationwide.