Felix Mbata, Lagos state
In a development that has shocked parents and community leaders, two elderly men aged 84 and 75 are now in custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for allegedly supplying illicit opioids to teenage secondary school students in Umuahia, Abia State capital. The arrests form part of a week-long nationwide operation by NDLEA that also saw the interception of 9.5kg of dangerous synthetic drug from China, seizure of Dubai-bound ‘Loud’ concealed in ladies’ bags, and destruction of over 4 tons of cannabis in Edo forests. Source: Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja – Sunday 21st June 2026.
According to the official statement signed by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, 75-year-old Godwin Obulunbiya Obiora was arrested on Friday 19th June 2026 at his patent medicine store on 4 Club Road, Umuahia, following credible intelligence that he was selling drugs to young students. A search recovered 4.64 kilograms of opioids including tramadol and diazepam from his premises.
In a separate case, 84-year-old pensioner Godfrey Orji was nabbed on Thursday 18th June by security guards at Saint Silas Secondary School, Old Umuahia, for supplying illicit drugs to two teenage students. The guards handed them over to police, who transferred the case to NDLEA. One of the students, a 15-year-old SS2 boy, confessed that the 84-year-old grandpa supplied him drugs which he consumed and resold to fellow students. While the two grandpas will face prosecution, the students have been placed on counselling and rehabilitation.
The drug war extended beyond Abia. Per the NDLEA media report by Femi Babafemi, operatives in Lagos intercepted a 9.5kg consignment of ADB Chminaca, a synthetic cannabinoid classified as a dangerous new psychoactive substance, at a courier firm. The shipment came from China and was concealed in a carton. On Tuesday 16th June, another 300grams of ‘Loud’, a strong strain of cannabis, was found hidden in ladies’ handbags at a logistics company.
A wanted dealer, Lukman Badmus aka “Lukman Ogombo”, was raided at his Ogombo, Ajah home on Friday 19th June. Nine bottles of codeine syrup and 30 grams of skunk were recovered. A follow-up raid at his wife Aisha Saraki’s shop on Lagos Island yielded two more bottles of codeine, drug paraphernalia, and 42 compressed blocks of skunk weighing 22.5kg found in a mini bus parked outside. The wife attempted to flush exhibits down the toilet but was stopped by operatives.
In Kogi, Tochukwu Onah, 33, was intercepted on Okene/Lokoja highway with 1.030kg methamphetamine hidden in custard containers. In Ekiti, a couple James Tony Chukwudi, 48, and James Kehinde, 35, wanted since March for 117kg skunk seizure, were arrested at Efon-Alaaye-Ekiti after months on the run.
Oyo Command also recorded a major bust on Saturday 20th June with the arrest of 75-year-old Tudun Olubiyi, Nasiru Buhari, 22, and Buba Musa, 47, at Elekara, Oyo town. Their house yielded 118 jumbo bags containing 1,416kg of skunk covered with sawdust.
In Edo, Patrick Imoukhede, 45, was arrested on Wednesday 17th June during a raid at Khagba forest where 1,744.075kg of skunk was destroyed and 169kg processed substance recovered. Another raid at Ebora Camp, Ilushi destroyed 2,424.945kg of cannabis, while Augustine Anyamone, 45, was caught with 395kg skunk.
Across the country, NDLEA Commands intensified War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization in schools, worship centres, and communities. Lectures were held at Orun Community Grammar School, Ekiti; Government Girls Secondary School, Kano; Federal Technical College, Nasarawa; Tafida Community Secondary School, Katsina; and Government Technical College, Onitsha, Anambra. Rivers Command also paid advocacy visit to HRH Barr. Temple Ejekwu, Paramount Ruler of Rumuogba Kingdom.
CONCLUSION: While commending DOGI, Abia, Ekiti, Oyo, Lagos, Kogi, and Edo Commands for the arrests and seizures, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) praised the balance of drug supply reduction and WADA advocacy, charging all officers nationwide not to rest on their laurels.