NDLEA Intensifies Nationwide Drug Crackdown with High-Profile Arrests
In a sweeping nationwide operation, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 93-year-old man, a 69-year-old medical doctor, and numerous other suspects as part of an intelligence-led crackdown on drug cartels and their collaborators. The agency's intensified efforts have led to significant seizures of illicit substances across multiple states, highlighting the pervasive nature of the drug trade in Nigeria.
Arrest of Nonagenarian and International Syndicate Links
In Abia State, NDLEA operatives apprehended Pa Friday Ahukanna Chigbu, a 93-year-old man, at his residence in Umuagbaigba, Amavo Nkwogu village, Osisioma Local Council on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. A search of his home resulted in the recovery of 7.7 kilogrammes of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis. Chigbu revealed that he had been smoking skunk since 1959 and entered the illicit drug trade over a year ago, after working as a truck pusher and later learning painting and tiling.
Further investigations uncovered links to an international drug syndicate with the arrest of Gohouri Michael, a 41-year-old Ivorian, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on Monday, February 16, 2026. He was intercepted during outward clearance for an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Milan via Addis Ababa, found with 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49 kilogrammes. Gohouri was expected to receive 5,000 euros upon delivery, and it was discovered that he had arrived in Lagos from Milan on January 17, 2026, traveling between Lagos and Enugu before ingesting the drug consignment in a hotel in Kano.
Key Arrests and Major Seizures Across States
The crackdown led to the arrest of Dr Chudi Daniel Ofomata, a 69-year-old medical doctor identified as a key figure directing the operation. He was apprehended at his residence in Teachers’ Land Estate, Magboro, Ogun State on March 27, 2026, and later flown to Kano on Tuesday, April 7. Recovered from him were 63 grammes of promazepam and seven ampoules of promethazine injection.
In Ogun State, three suspects—Azeez Sanni, Olayinka Oke, and Adekunle Adeyemi—were arrested with 34 kilogrammes of skunk during a raid at Sango Under Bridge, Sango Ota on Tuesday, April 7. In Imo State, 56.2 kilogrammes of skunk was recovered from 26-year-old Ayoka Akinwale along the Onitsha–Owerri road on Saturday, April 11.
In Niger State, a couple, Abdullahi Umar, 32, and Adama Umar, 25, were arrested at their residence in Takuti village, Lapai Local Council on Thursday, April 9, where 118 kilogrammes of skunk was found in their kitchen. In Borno State, NDLEA officers intercepted a trailer loaded with vehicle spare parts from Nnewi, Anambra State, along the Damaturu–Maiduguri road, recovering about 42,290 tablets of Rohypnol, 82,700 millilitres of codeine syrup, and 10,000 millilitres of pentazocine injection. The owner, Eleje Ibeabuchi, 43, was later arrested.
Additional Operations and Significant Drug Interceptions
In Lagos, operatives intercepted a Chisco Transport luxury bus marked AGU 442 XB heading to Port Harcourt along the Lagos–Ibadan expressway on Tuesday, April 7, finding 15 kilogrammes of "Scottish Loud," a potent strain of cannabis, concealed in a compartment. Two suspects, Kingsley Nsofor and Opara Ifeanyi, were arrested. In a separate operation in Mushin on Saturday, April 11, a truck conveying goods to Onitsha was intercepted, leading to the seizure of 26,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup and the arrest of Adesunloye Dada and Chibuzor Chime.
In Abuja, a raid on the Tora Bora drug joint on Saturday, April 11, resulted in the arrest of eight suspects, including Abubakar Muhammad, Ali Isiaka, Obed Moses, Ibrahim Musa, Attahiru Audu, Kabiru Buhari, Oloruntoba Samuel, and Ellah Gyandi, with 11.516 kilogrammes of skunk recovered. In Edo State, two trucks along Warrake Road in Auchi on Saturday, April 11, were intercepted, carrying bags of processed skunk concealed among cartons of beer. One truck contained 3,900 kilogrammes, while the other carried 3,345 kilogrammes, totaling 7,245 kilogrammes. Five suspects—Ibrahim Abu, 29; Abu Abdullazeez, 28; Jibril Jaminu, 35; Andrew Moses, 22; and Ganiyu Abu, 21—were arrested. The consignments were loaded in Sabongida-Ora, Owan West Local Council, and were en route to Abuja when intercepted.
