When the elderly expected to install discipline and the healers expected to cater to lives have turned to providing narcotics, the situation is truly dire. Such is the case as a 93-year-old great-grandfather and a 69-year-old medical doctor top the list of those arrested. Their capture follows an intensified crackdown by the NDLEA, which continues to hammer drug cartels through strategic interdiction operations.
In a statement released Sunday, April 12, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy Femi Babafemi confirmed the capture of 93-year-old Pa Friday Ahukanna Chigbu. The nonagenarian was arrested on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at his residence in Umuagbaigba, Amavo Nkwogu village, within the Osisioma local government area of Abia State.
A deeper look into the case, as disclosed by the agency, led to the recovery of 7.7kg of skunk during a house search. The 93-year-old claimed he had worked as a truck pusher and learnt trades like painting and tiling prior to going into narcotics just a year ago. Most shocking was his confession: he claimed to have been smoking skunk since 1959, only turning his long-term habit into a commercial venture recently.
”Efforts to unravel local collaborators of an international drug syndicate paid off following the arrest of an Ivorian, Gohouri Michael, 41, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano with 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49kg and the subsequent arrest of a 69-year-old medical doctor, Dr. Chudi Daniel Ofomata in a follow-up operation in Ogun state.
Michael Gohouri (also known as Anunwa Onyinye Michael) was arrested on Monday 16th February 2026 during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 to Milan, Malpensa via Addis Ababa.
Gohouri had arrived Lagos from Milan, Italy on 17th January, 2026 and was shuttling from Lagos to Enugu for three weeks.” NDLEA said.
Following Gohouri’s arrest for ingesting cocaine in Kano—destined for Milan for a 5,000 Euro reward—the NDLEA successfully unmasked his handler. The mastermind, Dr. Chudi Daniel Ofomata, was traced to Teachers’ Land Estate in Magboro, Ogun State, where he was apprehended on March 27, 2026. After being flown to Kano on April 7 to face his charges, the doctor’s residence was found to contain 63 grams of Bromazepam and several ampoules of Promethazine.
From the under-bridges of Ogun to the highways of Imo, the NDLEA continues to squeeze drug traffickers out of business. This week’s milestones include the arrest of three suspects in Sango Ota with 34kg of skunk and the weekend capture of Ayoka Akinwale, 26, in Owerri. Found with 56.2kg of drugs, Akinwale’s arrest highlights the agency’s eagle-eyed vigilance along the critical Onitsha-Owerri trade route.
However, from what could be described as from domestic kitchens to cross-country trailers, the NDLEA continues to squeeze drug traffickers. In Niger State, a couple’s home in Takuti village was unmasked as a warehouse for 118kg of skunk. Meanwhile, in Borno, eagle-eyed officers intercepted a massive haul of Rohypnol and codeine syrup hidden amongst auto parts in a trailer arriving from Anambra. The operation culminated in the arrest of 43-year-old Eleje Ibeabuchi, proving once again that no concealment method is beyond the agency’s reach.
Acting on high-level intelligence, NDLEA operatives intercepted a Port Harcourt-bound Chisco luxury bus (AGU 442 XB) along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway on Tuesday, April 7th. A meticulous search of the vehicle’s compartments unmasked 15kg of “Scottish Loud”—a potent cannabis strain—hidden within. The discovery led to the immediate arrest of two suspects, Kingsley Nsofor and Opara Ifeanyi, as the agency continues to squeeze transit-based drug trafficking.
A transit route from Mushin to Onitsha was cut short on Saturday, April 11, when eagle-eyed NDLEA operatives flagged down a truck packed with “assorted goods.” A deep search unmasked a different cargo entirely: 26,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup hidden among the wares. Suspects Adesunloye Dada and Chibuzor Chime were promptly taken into custody as the agency continues to dismantle large-scale pharmaceutical smuggling rings.
Abuja’s infamous “Tora Bora” drug joint took a major hit on Saturday, April 11, as the NDLEA’s latest sweep cleared the area of illicit activity. Eight suspects, Abubakar Muhammad, Ali Isiaka, Obed Moses, Ibrahim Musa, Attahiru Audu, Kabiru Buhari, Oloruntoba Samuel, and Ellah Gyandi were taken into custody during the coordinated sting. Operatives successfully recovered 11.516kg of skunk, marking another significant victory in the agency’s ongoing battle to sanitize the Federal Capital Territory.
The NDLEA’s eagle-eyed vigilance turned a routine beer transport into one of the year’s largest drug busts along the Auchi-Warrake axis. On Saturday, April 11, two trucks loaded at Sabongida-Ora were found to be carrying a “hidden recipe”: 7,245 kilograms of processed skunk. Five suspects were promptly taken into custody as the agency intercepted the Abuja-bound consignments. This 7.2-tonne recovery serves as a stark reminder of the agency’s relentless pursuit of drug cartels, regardless of their concealment methods.
Advocacy efforts under the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) banner continued with vigor across Nigeria this week. Notable sensitization engagements included:
Academic Outreaches: Child Best School, Ikorodu (Lagos); Government Science Secondary School, Ajaokuta (Kogi); and Girls Secondary Schools in Danja (Katsina) and Dabo (Kano).
Community Hubs: Awareness sessions for commuters and workers at Oban-Aningheje motor park, Calabar.
Faith-Based Groups: Strategic dialogues with the Anglican Youths Fellowship Diocese in Okinin, Osun State.
These activities continued to empower diverse groups with the knowledge needed to resist substance abuse nationwide.
Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/CEO of the NDLEA, led the applause this week, commending his officers at MAKIA, Abia, Lagos, and FCT Commands—among others—for their massive breakthroughs. Beyond the seizures, he praised the entire agency for ensuring a holistic approach, effectively balancing the war on supply with the critical mission of demand reduction in every state.
