- …uncovers AK 47 rifle, magazines in maize sack
Two octogenarians, 80-year-old Ayuba Ashiru and 82-year-old Mrs. Uloma Uchechi Sunday, along with her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom Uchechi, have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in a series of coordinated raids across the country.
This development comes as the agency intercepted opioids valued at over N3.2 billion at the Apapa seaport in Lagos and the Port Harcourt port in Onne, Rivers State.
The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrests in a statement issued on Sunday, highlighting that Ayuba Ashiru is a repeat offender who had previously served a 10-year sentence for drug-related offences between 2014 and 2024.
He was re-arrested on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at Barazana Street in the Dogarawa area of Sabon Gari Local Government Area, Kaduna State, following credible intelligence.
The NDLEA said the arrests and seizures are part of its ongoing efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and cut off illegal supply routes across the country.
The statement reads, “A total of 2.3 kilograms of skunk packaged in nylons and papers in retail sizes were recovered from him. He claimed to have been in the illicit drug trade for the past 46 years.
“Similarly, NDLEA operatives in Abia state on Saturday, 17th May, raided the home of 82-year-old Mrs. Uloma Uchechi Sunday at Umuaguma Ntigha Uzor village, where different quantities of methamphetamine, tramadol and skunk, a strain of cannabis, as well as a cash exhibit of N130,600, were recovered from her and her daughter, 32-year-old Chisom Uchechi. The grandma confessed that she and her daughter took over the drug trade after her son, who started the business, died two years ago.”
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Babafemi said at the Port Harcourt Ports complex in Onne, Rivers state, a total of three million (3,000,000) pills of tapentadol and carisoprodol royal 225mg worth N2.1 billion in street value were intercepted in one of the containers watch-listed by the Agency based on intelligence.
He said the seizure was made on Wednesday, 14th May, during a joint examination of the container by NDLEA officers, men of the Customs Service and other security agencies.
The Spokesman added that 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.
He said 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.
Babafemi also said 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.
He said the operatives 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 reads, “At a courier company in Lagos, NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) on Friday, 16th May intercepted 250 grams of cocaine concealed in female headgear going to Australia.
“In Niger state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Mokwa-Jebba road on Thursday 15th May intercepted a Toyota Carina car marked AGL 945 BK conveying 316 blocks of skunk weighing 143kg while a suspect, Idris Kamal, 35, was arrested.
“Same day, operatives on patrol at Chachi junction along Kaduna road arrested Emmanuel Hassan, 26, with 14.3kg Loud. A swift follow up operation led to the arrest of the actual owner of the consignment, Bello Aliyu (alias Liti), 39.
“While a 60-year-old suspect, Welman Kengbo, was nabbed by NDLEA officers with 594.8kg skunk at Karu area of Nasarawa state on Friday, 16th May, another suspect, Oyenuga Toheeb, was arrested along Lekki/Epe expressway, Lagos on Thursday, 15th May with 67.5kg of the same psychoactive substance.
“In Taraba state, 5,350 pills of tramadol and diazepam were recovered from a suspect, Shafiu Ismail, 22, when he was arrested on Thursday, 15th May at Sabonlayin, Jalingo LGA, while
Tijjani Mohammed, 35, was nabbed with 198kg of skunk at Malamawa, Garki LGA, Jigawa state same day.
“Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Abuja – Kaduna highway on Friday, 16th May intercepted a 29-year-old Ismail Isah with an AK 47 rifle and two magazines concealed in a sack of maize. He will be transferred to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.
“The War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country in the past week. Some of them include: WADA sensitisation lecture delivered to students and staff of Supreme International School, Fagge, Kano; Al-Arifeen International Academy, Kaduna; Nadado Primary School, Bakori, Katsina; Ila Orangun Grammar School, Ila Orangun, Osun state; and students and staff of Government Secondary School, Onne, Rivers state, among others.
“While commending the officers and men of DOGI, Abia, Kaduna, Kwara, PHIPC, Apapa, Lagos, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Taraba, and Niger Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.”