The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended 80-year-old Ayuba Ashiru for possessing 2.3 kilograms of skunk, reportedly packaged in nylons and papers for retail distribution.
In a statement released on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi disclosed that Ashiru was arrested on May 14, 2025, at Barazana Street in the Dogarawa area of Sabon Gari LGA, Kaduna State. The arrest followed actionable intelligence received by the agency.
Babafemi further revealed that Ashiru is a repeat offender, having previously been convicted and served a 10-year jail term from 2014 to 2024 for similar drug-related offences.
“He claimed to have been in the illicit drug trade for the past 46 years,” the statement reads.
The anti-narcotics agency also apprehended an 82-year-old Uloma Uchechi Sunday, and her 32-year-old daughter Chisom Uchechi, in Abia state on May 17.
The arrest followed a raid on their home at Umuaguma Ntigha Uzor village, where different quantities of methamphetamine, tramadol, and skunk, a strain of cannabis, as well as cash exhibit of ₦130,600, were recovered from them.
“The grandma confessed that she and her daughter took over the drug trade after her son, who started the business, died two years ago,” the statement reads.
In the Port Harcourt ports complex in Onne, Rivers state, NDLEA said three million pills of tapentadol and carisoprodol royal “worth N2.1 billion in street value were intercepted in one of the containers”, which the agency had watch-listed based on intelligence.
“The seizure was made on Wednesday, 14th May during a joint examination of the container by NDLEA officers, men of Customs Service and other security agencies,” the statement added.
“In like manner, NDLEA operatives at the Apapa seaport in Lagos on Tuesday, 13th May intercepted another watch-listed container declared to have new car parts and accessories from India.
“During a joint examination with other security agencies, a total of 169,800 bottles of codeine syrup worth over N1.1 billion in street value were discovered concealed in the shipment.
“In Kwara state, no fewer than 199,200 pills of tramadol were recovered from two suspects: Abdulwahab Quadir and Abdulraheem Ismail on Friday, 16th May, following their arrest at Gegele area of Ilorin by NDLEA operatives who also raided Favour Lodge in the state capital where an HND 1 student of the Department of Laboratory Science Technology, Kwara State Polytechnic, Ibrahim Oladimeji Abdulateef was arrested with 650 grams of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis already measured in 149 cups, which he sells to other students,” the statement read.