The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two elderly men, 84-year-old Godfrey Orji and 75-year-old Godwin Obulunbiya Obiora, for selling illicit drugs to teenage secondary school students in Umuahia, Abia State capital. The arrests were announced by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
Arrest Details and Drug Seizures
According to Babafemi, NDLEA operatives arrested Pa Obiora at his patent medicine store for selling illicit substances to young students and other customers. A search of his premises at 4 Club Road, Umuahia, led to the recovery of 4.64 kilograms of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam.
Meanwhile, security guards arrested Pa Orji at Saint Silas Secondary School, Old Umuahia, for supplying illicit drugs to two teenage students whose names have been withheld. The guards handed him over to the police, who transferred him to the NDLEA on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
Teenage Students Affected
Babafemi revealed that one of the teenagers, a 15-year-old SS2 student, confessed that Pa Orji supplied him with drugs, which he consumed. The student also claimed that the 84-year-old sold drugs to fellow students. Both students have been placed on counseling and rehabilitation, the spokesperson added.
“The two grandfathers are billed to have their day in court,” Babafemi stated.
Previous Arrests of Elderly Drug Dealers
This is not the first time the NDLEA has arrested elderly individuals for drug offenses. In a recent crackdown on a drug cartel, the agency arrested 93-year-old Pa Friday Ahukanna Chigbu and 69-year-old doctor Chudi Daniel Ofomata. Babafemi noted that the 93-year-old suspect linked his drug business to over 60 years of illicit drug use.
Additionally, a 74-year-old grandfather, Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka, was arrested at Abuja airport with 11 kilograms of illicit drugs destined for London, United Kingdom. The NDLEA also arrested Maryam Olalowo for drug dealing linked to her husband, Ibrahim Olalowo Olatunji, who had previously served two and a half years for similar offenses in 2015.
