Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency arrests an 80-year-old ex-convict and multiple suspects across several states as part of a sweeping nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking.
NDLEA operatives arrest Jeremiah Isaiah Nkanta, 80, on January 10, 2025, at his residence in Mmanta-Abak village, Akwa Ibom State, where officers recover 5.7 kilograms of skunk cannabis.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi on Sunday says Nkanta is a repeat offender previously convicted and sentenced to two years in prison in 2022. “This arrest shows our resolve to dismantle drug networks, regardless of age or prior convictions,” Babafemi says.
In another Akwa Ibom operation, officers intercept Ani Onyebuchi Romans, 37, on the Oron-Ibaka road with 5.3 kilograms of tramadol concealed in mannequins bound for Cameroon.
The agency records major seizures in Oyo State, arresting suspected dealer Remi Bamidele, popularly known as “Aluko the Mafia,” with over 10 kilograms of assorted cannabis strains and two vehicles.
Additional arrests followed in Edo, Taraba, Niger and Adamawa states, with large quantities of tramadol and skunk recovered from suspects.
Babafemi says the agency’s operations combine enforcement with prevention, as NDLEA teams intensify War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaigns nationwide.
Commending the officers, NDLEA Chairman Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) says the agency remains committed to tackling both drug supply and demand. “Our strategy is firm, balanced and relentless,” Marwa says.
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