By Ajibola Olaide,
ILLICIT DRUGS allegedly supplied to teenage secondary school students have led to the arrest of two elderly men in Abia State, while operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted consignments linked to China and carried out a series of arrests and seizures across the country.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that an 84-year-old pensioner, Godfrey Orji, and 75-year-old Godwin Obulunbiya Obiora were arrested over alleged involvement in the sale of illicit substances to the secondary school students in Umuahia.
NDLEA said Obiora was arrested on Friday 19 June 2026 after intelligence indicated that he was selling illicit substances to students and other users from his patent medicine store at 4 Club Road, Umuahia.
A search of the premises led to the recovery of 4.64kg of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam.
Orji was apprehended by security guards at Saint Silas Secondary School, Old Umuahia, for allegedly supplying illicit drugs to two teenage students. The guards handed the suspects to the police, who later transferred the matter to NDLEA on Thursday 18 June.
One of the teenagers, a 15-year-old SS2 student, stated that Orji supplied him with drugs which he consumed and also sold to fellow students.
NDLEA said both elderly suspects would face prosecution, while the students had been placed on counselling and rehabilitation.
In Lagos, operatives intercepted a consignment of ADB Chminaca, a synthetic cannabinoid classified as a dangerous new psychoactive substance, at a courier company. The shipment arrived from China with a gross weight of 9.5kg concealed in a carton.
Another seizure followed on Tuesday 16 June at a logistics company in Lagos, where 300g of Loud, described as a strong strain of cannabis, was discovered hidden inside ladies’ handbags.
NDLEA officers also raided the residence of a wanted drug dealer, Lukman Badmus, also known as Lukman Ogombo, in the Ogombo area of Ajah on Friday 19 June. The operation led to the recovery of nine bottles of codeine syrup and 30g of skunk.
A follow up operation at the shop of his wife, Aisha Saraki, in the Patey area of Lagos Island resulted in the recovery of two additional bottles of codeine and drug paraphernalia. Operatives also recovered 42 compressed blocks of skunk weighing 22.5kg from a minibus parked in front of the shop. NDLEA said an attempt by Saraki to flush some exhibits down a toilet was thwarted.
Along the Okene Lokoja highway in Kogi State, officers on patrol intercepted Tochukwu Onah, 33, on Friday 19 June with 1.030kg of methamphetamine concealed inside custard containers while travelling from Lagos to Abuja.
In Ekiti State, NDLEA also arrested a couple, James Tony Chukwudi, 48, and James Kehinde, 35, at Oniyo Street, Efon Alaaye Ekiti, on Tuesday 16 June.
The agency said they were wanted in connection with the seizure of 117kg of skunk on 26 March 2026 and had remained on the run for months.
A raid in the Dangote area of Elekara, Oyo Town, on Saturday 20 June led to the arrest of 75-year-old Tudun Olubiyi, Nasiru Buhari, 22, and Buba Musa, 47. Operatives recovered 118 jumbo bags containing 1,416kg of skunk covered with sawdust.
In Edo State, Patrick Imoukhede, 45, was arrested on Wednesday 17 June during a raid on Khagba Forest in Ikao, Owan East Local Government Area. Operatives destroyed 1,744.075kg of skunk and recovered 169kg of processed cannabis.
Another operation at Ebora Camp, Ilushi, in Esan South Local Government Area led to the destruction of 2,424.945kg of cannabis. In a separate operation in the area, Augustine Anyamone, 45, was arrested with 395kg of skunk.
NDLEA also said its commands and formations across the country also sustained War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities during the week.
The campaign included lectures at Orun Community Grammar School, Orun Ekiti; Government Girls Secondary School, Charanchi, Bichi, Kano; Federal Technical College, Doma, Nasarawa; Tafida Community Secondary School, Zango, Katsina; and Government Technical College, Onitsha, Anambra.
The Rivers State Command also paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Paramount Ruler of Rumuogba Kingdom, HRH Barr. Temple Ejekwu.
As always, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers and men of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation as well as the Abia, Ekiti, Oyo, Lagos, Kogi and Edo Commands for the arrests and seizures.
He noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitisation activities and charged them not to rest on their laurels.
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