 have apprehended Aishat Elediye, a Lagos socialite and drug kingpin, alongside Nollywood filmmaker Eme Mbadiwe, in connection with an illicit drug shipment.){kind=link}
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended Aishat Elediye, a Lagos socialite and drug kingpin, alongside Nollywood filmmaker Eme Mbadiwe, in connection with an illicit drug shipment.
According to NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the arrests took place following the interception of a truckload of illegal drugs.
Elediye, known in the drug world as “Iya Ruka” and in social circles as “Alhaja Elediye,” was arrested on January 1 at her mansion in the Okota area of Lagos.
The 61-year-old suspect had been on the NDLEA’s wanted list for years due to her leadership role in a drug cartel operating in the Mushin area.
Her cover was blown when NDLEA operatives intercepted a truck carrying 44 jumbo sacks containing 1,540 kilograms of imported hemp, driven by one of her staff, Abideen Adio, 41.
Following the interception, NDLEA operatives raided her residence at 33 Adebayo Oyewole Street, Okota, and arrested her.
Despite presenting herself as a businesswoman importing fabrics and shoes from China, she was revealed to be deeply involved in a large-scale illicit drug trade.
She is also recognized as the Iyalaje of Blessing Sisters, an influential women’s club in Lagos.
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives arrested filmmaker Eme Mbadiwe, known for his work in both Hollywood and Nollywood, on December 27.
Mbadiwe was detained at his hotel room in Lekki after his partner, Uzoekwe Ugochukwu, was arrested earlier that day at a warehouse in Ajao Estate, Ikeja. Ugochukwu had been sent by Mbadiwe to collect a shipment of 33 parcels of “Loud,” a potent cannabis strain weighing 17.30 kilograms.
The drugs had arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) on December 24, concealed in large wooden boxes.