The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 93-year-old man and a 69-year-old medical doctor as part of a series of coordinated, intelligence-driven operations targeting drug trafficking networks across multiple states.
In a statement issued by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the agency said the nationwide crackdown spanned Lagos, Ogun, Abia, Edo, Niger, Imo, Borno, and the Federal Capital Territory, leading to major seizures of illicit substances and the disruption of organised drug syndicates.
One of the most striking arrests occurred in Abia State, where operatives apprehended 93-year-old Friday Ahukanna Chigbu at his residence in Osisioma Local Government Area.
The agency recovered 7.7 kilograms of skunk from the premises.
According to the agency, the suspect admitted during interrogation that he had been using the substance since 1959 before turning to its sale in recent years.
“He had been smoking skunk since 1959, before turning it into a business over a year ago,” the statement said.
Investigators said Chigbu attributed his involvement in the trade to economic hardship after years of working as a truck pusher and later as a painter and tiler.
In a separate operation, NDLEA uncovered an international drug trafficking ring involving an Ivorian national, Gohouri Michael, who was intercepted at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport with 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49 kilograms.
Further investigations led to the arrest of Chudi Daniel Ofomata, a 69-year-old medical practitioner based in Ogun State, who was identified as the alleged coordinator of the operation. NDLEA operatives reportedly recovered controlled substances, including promazepam and promethazine injections, from him.
The agency described the arrests as a major breakthrough in dismantling cross-border drug trafficking networks, noting that the operations were part of a broader effort to target both local and international supply chains.
Babafemi stated that the actions followed “intelligence-led interdiction operations across the country,” aimed at disrupting trafficking routes and apprehending key collaborators.
Across other parts of the country, multiple arrests and seizures were recorded. In Niger State, a couple—Abdullahi Umar and Adama Umar—were found with 118 kilograms of skunk hidden in their residence.
In Borno State, operatives intercepted a trailer transporting spare parts and uncovered a large consignment of illicit pharmaceuticals, including 42,290 tablets of Rohypnol, as well as significant quantities of codeine syrup and pentazocine injections.
The owner of the shipment was later arrested in a follow-up operation.
Operations in Lagos also yielded significant results, with officers intercepting a commercial bus carrying 15 kilograms of “Scottish Loud,” alongside the seizure of 26,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup in a separate raid in Mushin.
In Edo State, one of the largest discoveries was made when operatives intercepted two trucks loaded with a combined 7,245 kilograms of skunk concealed among cartons of beer, leading to the arrest of five suspects.
Reacting to the development, NDLEA Chairman Mohamed Buba Marwa commended officers involved in the operations, praising their dedication and effectiveness.
He emphasised that the agency remains committed to a balanced strategy that combines enforcement with prevention, highlighting ongoing public awareness initiatives under the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.
Marwa added that reducing both the supply and demand for illicit drugs remains central to the agency’s mission, as it continues to intensify efforts nationwide.
