Nigerian Drug Agency Arrests Octogenarians In Nationwide Crackdown

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced a series of coordinated raids across Nigeria resulting in numerous arrests, including two men aged 83 and 78, as part of an intensified effort to combat drug trafficking.

The operations, conducted across multiple states, underscore a worrying trend of involvement across all age demographics in the illicit drug trade.

According to a statement released on Sunday by NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, 83-year-old Pa John Ofiel was arrested last Tuesday following a raid in the Samek area of Abia State.

Officers recovered 700 grammes of skunk – a potent form of cannabis – packaged for retail sale. Mr Ofiel reportedly told investigators he had previously worked as a shoemaker before turning to drug distribution.

A similar operation in Ekiti State on Thursday led to the arrest of 78-year-old Ogunjobi Samuel at his home in Ilupeju-Ekiti, with 350 grammes of skunk recovered.

The crackdown wasn’t limited to older individuals. In Oyo State, two women, Rebecca King, 24, and Olaniyan Opeyemi, 31, were arrested in connection with the seizure of 1.925 kilogrammes of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis variant. King was apprehended on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, while Opeyemi was arrested attempting to collect the consignment in Ibadan.

A long-wanted drug dealer, Taofik Adeyemi, 49, was also captured in Ibadan on Saturday, alongside an associate, Mustapha Oyerinde, 28. Two alleged accomplices of Adeyemi are already facing prosecution, having been arrested in December 2025.

Significant seizures were also reported in other states. In Osun State, a 65-year-old driver was found transporting 7 kilogrammes of skunk and 15 grammes of methamphetamine.

Further north, in Borno State, authorities intercepted a haul of opioids, including 76,440 Tramadol pills. Large quantities of compressed cannabis were also recovered in Kaduna and Jigawa states, alongside nearly 50,000 Tramadol capsules. A particularly large seizure in Lagos saw 740 kilogrammes of skunk recovered from Awolowo Market in Mushin.

Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman and Chief Executive of the NDLEA, praised the operational successes of officers across the country. He stressed the need for a balanced approach, combining aggressive supply reduction with sustained public education to address demand.

The NDLEA is also continuing its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign, reaching schools, religious centres and community groups across the nation, with recent programmes held in Niger, Kano, Anambra, Lagos and Edo states.

The arrests, particularly those involving elderly suspects, are raising concerns about the widening reach of Nigeria’s drug trade and the increasing involvement of individuals from all walks of life.