In a striking demonstration of its relentless war against narcotics, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended an 80-year-old former convict for allegedly returning to the illicit drug trade. This arrest is part of a series of major operations across multiple states that also uncovered a sophisticated scheme involving drugs hidden inside clothing mannequins.
Octogenarian Suspect and Concealed Mannequin Consignment
The NDLEA operatives, acting on credible intelligence, tracked down Jeremiah Isaiah Nkanta to his residence in Mmanta-Abak village, Abak Local Council of Akwa Ibom State, on Saturday, January 10, 2025. The agency revealed that Nkanta was first arrested on December 14, 2022, prosecuted, and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Uyo. Barely three years after his conviction, he allegedly resumed his illegal activities. During the recent arrest, officials recovered 5.7 kilogrammes of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis, from him.
In a separate but equally dramatic operation in Akwa Ibom, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Oron–Ibaka Road on Friday, January 9, intercepted a 37-year-old businessman, Ani Onyebuchi Romans. Romans was traveling with full-body mannequins he claimed were for his clothing business in Cameroon. A thorough search revealed 5.3 kilogrammes of tramadol pills expertly concealed inside the dummies. The suspect, who resides in Cameroon, stated he was returning after the Christmas and New Year holidays. Investigations confirmed the drugs were purchased in Onitsha, Anambra State, and were being trafficked to Cameroon for sale.
Nationwide Raids and Significant Hauls
The agency's offensive extended to Oyo State, where coordinated raids led to multiple arrests. Among those caught was 45-year-old Remi Bamidele, alias “Aluko the Mafia”, apprehended at Sasa, Ibadan, on Thursday, January 8. He was found with 10.696 kilogrammes of various cannabis strains including Colorado, Scottish Loud, Ghana Loud, Canadian Loud, and skunk. Two vehicles, a Toyota Venza and a Toyota Yaris, were also recovered from him.
Further operations in Ibadan on January 9 and 10 led to the arrest of Adeola Toheeb, 27, and Habeeb Ali, 29, with assorted cannabis strains. Notably, about N1.3 million in cash was recovered from Habeeb Ali during his arrest.
Additional Arrests Across Niger, Taraba, Adamawa, and Edo
The NDLEA's crackdown yielded results in several other states:
- In Edo State, a dispatch rider, Osagbovo Edigin, 30, and two others were arrested on January 9 in connection with cannabis seizures. Another suspect, Jimoh Agbonmhegbe, 49, was arrested in Irrua with 17.552 kilogrammes of cannabis, while Evelyn Okoyomon, 38, was apprehended in Ubiaja with skunk.
- Operatives in Niger State recovered about 4,000 pills of tramadol 225mg from a 22-year-old suspect, Nazifi Umar, in Dakwa town.
- In Taraba State, Yusuf Usman, 41, was arrested on January 7 with 100 blocks of skunk weighing 47 kilogrammes.
- In Adamawa State, following an arrest at Yola airport on January 6, about 30,950 capsules of tramadol were recovered from the home of suspect Ugwoke Chibueze, 40.
These widespread operations underscore the NDLEA's continued vigilance and its multi-pronged strategy to dismantle drug trafficking networks across Nigeria, targeting both seasoned offenders and novel concealment methods.
