NDLEA Arrests 72-Year-Old Grandma, Europe-Based Businessman, and Others in Major Drug Busts Across Nigeria

72-Year-Old Grandmother Caught Selling Cannabis in Delta State

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks across Nigeria, leading to a wave of high-profile arrests between June 24 and June 27, 2025. Among those apprehended are a 72-year-old grandmother, a Europe-based freight businessman, a Beninese smuggler, and two international passengers attempting to smuggle narcotics through Nigerian airports.
These arrests, according to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, underscore the agency's resolve to wage an unrelenting war against illicit drug operations within the country and beyond.

In one of the most shocking arrests of the week, Christy Ejaro, a 72-year-old grandmother, was taken into custody in Warri, Delta State. The elderly woman was arrested on Tuesday, June 24, in the Niger CAT area of the city and found in possession of multiple sachets of skunk, a highly potent strain of cannabis.
Despite her age, Ejaro was reportedly engaged in retail drug distribution, selling the banned substance in smaller quantities. Her arrest stunned local residents and serves as a grim reminder that drug trafficking is not confined to any age group.
The NDLEA’s swift action in Warri was part of a series of well-coordinated operations conducted across the country, targeting both individual dealers and international traffickers.

Meanwhile, in Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted Amen Okoro Godstime, a 47-year-old Europe-based businessman, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) on Friday, June 27. Okoro, who operates a freight and logistics business in Europe, was arrested at the Terminal 2 departure hall while attempting to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Spain via Casablanca. A thorough search of his luggage revealed 5,000 tablets of Tramadol 225mg, deceptively packaged as anti-malaria medications, including Lonart, Amatem, and Aluktem. The concealment strategy suggests a well-thought-out smuggling plan aimed at evading customs detection.
During preliminary interrogation, Okoro confessed that his final destination was France, where he resides. He intended to travel by train from Spain to France and then forward the illicit consignment to Italy for sale.

In another international case, NDLEA officers at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu arrested Ezenwaka Chibuzor Emmanuel, a 38-year-old Nigerian bar attendant based in Maputo, Mozambique.
Emmanuel arrived in Nigeria from Johannesburg, South Africa, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Upon searching his luggage, NDLEA agents discovered 17 cardboard-like parcels of methamphetamine weighing 17.5 kilograms and three parcels of cocaine weighing 3.05 kilograms, cleverly hidden inside bedsheets.
The suspect is believed to be a courier for an international drug syndicate, given the quantity and packaging of the drugs. The NDLEA is currently investigating his local and international connections.

Still at the Enugu airport, NDLEA operatives arrested Azu Follygan Kpodar, a 54-year-old Nigerian returning from São Paulo, Brazil. During a routine inspection, officers found a bottle of liquid soap labeled "YPE" in his luggage, which, upon forensic analysis, tested positive for liquid cocaine.
The recovered narcotics weighed 1.25 kilograms. Kpodar, who claimed to be a toy seller in Brazil, alleged that he purchased the item while shopping for items ahead of his upcoming wedding in Nigeria. However, the agency is not convinced by his claims, and further investigations are underway.

At the Seme border in Badagry, Lagos State, NDLEA officers intercepted Vode Jean-Luck, a 26-year-old citizen of the Republic of Benin, on Tuesday, June 24. Jean-Luck was caught attempting to smuggle 69 balls of skunk, with a total weight of 29.5 kilograms, into Nigeria.
The arrest highlights the growing trend of drug smuggling across Nigeria’s land borders and the increasing involvement of foreign nationals in the illegal drug trade.

Back in the heart of Nigeria, NDLEA operatives raided the residence of a well-known drug dealer, Mary Bolanle Oladele, popularly known as “Iya Nafi,” in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
During the raid, which took place on Wednesday, June 25, officers seized varying quantities of skunk, tramadol, and flunitrazepam, a drug often abused as a sedative or “date rape” drug. Iya Nafi has long been on the agency’s watchlist, and her arrest is seen as a major breakthrough in the agency’s efforts to clean up local drug supply chains.

NDLEA’s Renewed Commitment to Ending Drug Trafficking in Nigeria
The recent string of arrests across different regions and international airports underscores the NDLEA’s intensified war against drug trafficking. Chairman of the agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), has consistently reiterated the agency’s zero-tolerance stance on drug smuggling and abuse.
Under his leadership, the agency has adopted a multi-pronged strategy involving intelligence gathering, public education, international collaboration, and rigorous enforcement. From local drug peddlers in remote communities to well-connected international traffickers, no one is above the law.
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The arrests of individuals from various walks of life, a grandmother, a businessman, international couriers, and a foreign smuggler, send a powerful message that the NDLEA is watching and ready to act. With operations expanding across land, air, and sea borders, Nigeria is gradually tightening its noose on the networks responsible for fueling drug addiction and crime.
As the agency continues to build on its recent successes, the public is also urged to stay vigilant and report suspicious activities in their communities. The fight against drugs is a collective responsibility, and with continued cooperation, Nigeria can win this war.

By PrimeLineInfo