The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the arrest of 61-year-old Lagos socialite, Alhaja Aishat Feyisara Ajoke Elediye, on New Year’s Day. She was apprehended in her mansion in the Okota area of Lagos after a truckload of alleged illicit drugs was intercepted, reportedly from her staff on the same day.
A statement from NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi revealed that Alhaja Ajoke, a well-known figure in social circles, is also notorious in the drug underworld by the alias “Iya Ruka.”
Babafemi further explained that her true identity had been hidden for years, while she remained on the NDLEA’s wanted list for allegedly leading one of the drug cartels operating in the Mushin area of Lagos.
“The lid was however blown off her invincibility on Wednesday 1st January 2025 when NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence intercepted a white Izuzu truck carrying 44 jumbo sacks containing 1,540 kilograms of imported cannabis and driven by one of her staff, 41-year-old Abideen Adio. Thereafter, the operatives stormed her hideout at 33 Adebayo Oyewole Street, off Ago Palace way, Okota, where they arrested her.
“On the surface, Alhaja Ajoke is a businesswoman who imports fabrics and shoes from China but beneath is a massive illicit drug trade. She is also recognized as the Iyalaje of Blessing Sisters, an influential club of society women in Lagos,” the statement read in part.
In another significant operation, the NDLEA reported the arrest of US-trained Hollywood and Nollywood filmmaker, Emeka Emmanuel Mbadiwe, on Friday, 27th December 2024. Mbadiwe, also a motivational speaker, was apprehended in his hotel room in Lekki following the earlier arrest of his associate, Uzoekwe Ugochukwu James. James was detained at a warehouse in Ajao Estate, Ikeja, where he was allegedly sent by Mbadiwe to collect a shipment of 33 parcels of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, weighing 17.30 kilograms. The shipment, which arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) on 24th December 2024 via a Delta Airlines flight from the United States, was concealed in large wooden boxes.
In Kwara State, two individuals, Khadijat Abdulraheem, a 24-year-old fresh graduate, and Ayomide Morakinyo, a 20-year-old University of Ilorin student, were arrested by NDLEA operatives on Sunday, 29th December 2024. They were apprehended on credible intelligence suggesting they were involved in the production and sale of drug-laced cupcakes to students in the Tanke-University of Ilorin Road, Oke Odo, Ilorin area. When their apartment was searched, 42 pieces of drug-infused cakes were recovered.
Additionally, ex-convict Sodade Sunday Eniola, previously arrested by the Tincan Command of the NDLEA in June 2024 for drug trafficking, was re-arrested by the MMIA Strategic Command in December 2024 for passport racketeering. Eniola had been sentenced to four years in prison but was given the option of paying a N750,000 fine, which he did. Despite his release, NDLEA operatives intercepted at least 52 passports from shipments destined for Canada, Russia, and other countries at the export shed of Lagos airport. The passports were concealed in shoe soles and food items, leading to the arrest of four individuals involved in a passport racketeering syndicate.
It added, “The arrested suspects include: Sodade Sunday Eniola; Ayinde Saheed Awwal; Salaudeen Afeez Ayode; and Sheriff Adebayo Bamigbade. Both the exhibits and the suspects were on Monday 30th December 2024 handed over to the Zonal Command of the Nigerian Immigration Service in Lagos for further investigation and possible prosecution.
“Not less than 316, 800 bottles of codeine-based syrup were recovered from two containers by NDLEA officers at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne Rivers state during a joint examination of the shipments with men of Nigeria Customs and other security agencies on Tuesday 31st December 2024. The seizure followed credible intelligence processed by the Port Harcourt Port Command of the Agency.
“In Kano, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 31st December 2024 raided Mafarki, Dan Dishe area of Dala LG where they recovered 149, 090 pills of tramadol and exol-5 from a local dealer, 45-year-old Ismail Muhammad.
“With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA sensitisation lecture to traders at Ido-Osi Central Market, Ido Ekiti, Ekiti state; and Muslim faithful during their Juma’at prayer at Birnin Kudu central mosque, Jigawa state, among others.
“While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kano, PHPC and Kwara Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and “those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.”