Once a public servant, now a suspect: Ex-Council Chief caught trafficking drugs in baby diapers

Michael Olumide

A former two-term councilor in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State, Sheleru Sadiq Olalekan, has fallen from public service to criminal suspicion after being arrested by Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for trafficking drugs concealed in baby diapers.

According to the Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, the 45-year-old ex-local council chief, who currently serves as a legislative aide, was apprehended on Monday, March 2, 2026, at his residence in Ilado, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. A search of his home recovered 40 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis.

In his statement, Sheleru admitted ownership of both the drugs and the property where they were found. He noted that he previously served two terms as a councilor representing the Orimedu community.

In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, NDLEA officers intercepted a 32-year-old businessman, Emeka Hyginus Okwor, on Tuesday, March 3. He was stopped in a vehicle traveling from Obollo-Afor in Enugu State to Zuba, FCT.

A search revealed 1,000 pills of Tapentadol 250mg concealed inside baby diapers. Okwor admitted ownership and said the consignment was destined for Guduwa village in Gurara LGA, Niger State, where he operates a provision store.

On the same day, NDLEA operatives patrolling the Kabba/Obajana highway in Kogi State intercepted a consignment of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, weighing 1.55kg.

The drugs were concealed inside a standing fan carton belonging to 36-year-old Cameroonian Mey Ali Muhamat from Maroua, Cameroon. He was traveling in a commercial bus from Lagos to Cameroon, en route through Lokoja, Kano, and Maiduguri.

In Niger State, operatives on patrol along the Mokwa-Jebba road intercepted a commercial bus from Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, March 4. The bus was carrying 500 pieces of improvised explosive device (IED) components concealed in a white sack, intended for a recipient at Pelegi. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of 21-year-old Osama Abdullahi at Pelegi, Mashegu LGA.

Also on March 4, NDLEA operatives in Yola, Adamawa State, recovered no fewer than 122,000 tramadol pills and 700 grams of methamphetamine from the false bottom of a truck marked ENU 645XX, which was transporting 2,000 cartons of local drinks.

In separate operations, Muhammed Ali, 20, was arrested at Gadar Tamburawa, Kano, on Tuesday, March 3, with 11,283 tramadol pills.

NDLEA officers in Ogun State raided Ogere, arresting Nazifi Mudansir and Kabiru Musa in possession of 46 kilograms of skunk.

In Delta State, two suspects, Joy Chukwuma, 25, and Eugene Felix, 22, were nabbed on Saturday, March 7, at Ogwashi Uku with 18.63kg of skunk, 10.8 liters of codeine-based syrup, and 4,268 pills of tramadol and swinol.

In Edo State, 48-year-old Eke London and his accomplice, Austin Isusi, 49, were arrested at Egbisi Forest, Uhumwonde LGA, where 1,910.25kg of skunk was destroyed across two farms. Another suspect, Alaba Adeboye, 47, was apprehended at Ikhin Town, Owan East LGA, with 176.50kg of skunk.

Meanwhile, NDLEA commands across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaigns in schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities. Activities last week included enlightenment lectures at Government Senior College, Apata, Ibadan, Oyo State; Government Girls Secondary School, Katcha, Niger; Government Girls Day Secondary School, Tsafe, Zamfara; Sango Junior Secondary School, Agege, Lagos; Government Day Secondary School, Illelah, Sokoto; Archbishop Akinola International Secondary School, Afikpo, Ebonyi; and Nnamdi Azikiwe Secondary School, Abagana, Anambra State, among others.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended officers and men in Lagos, FCT, Kano, Niger, Kogi, Edo, Ogun, Delta, Adamawa, and Edo States for their arrests, seizures, and dexterity. He urged them and their colleagues nationwide to continue a balanced and strategic approach to drug control.