 has arrested two senior citizens—80-year-old Ayuba Ashiru and 82-year-old Uloma){kind=link}
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two senior citizens—80-year-old Ayuba Ashiru and 82-year-old Uloma Uchechi Sunday—in separate drug operations carried out in Kaduna and Abia states.
According to a statement issued by Femi Babafemi, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, the NDLEA recovered a massive haul of illicit drugs valued at over N3.2 billion at key seaports in Lagos and Rivers states.
Ashiru, a repeat offender who had previously served a decade-long jail term from 2014 to 2024 for drug-related crimes, was apprehended once again on May 14, 2025, in the Dogarawa community of Sabon Gari LGA, Kaduna.
Officers found 2.3kg of skunk packaged in small nylons and paper wraps in his possession. During interrogation, Ashiru admitted to being involved in the drug trade for nearly five decades.
In another operation, NDLEA operatives stormed the residence of Mrs. Sunday in Umuaguma Ntigha Uzor village, Abia State, on May 17.
The raid led to the discovery of methamphetamine, tramadol, skunk, and N130,600 in cash. Her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom, was also arrested.
Mrs. Sunday confessed that they continued the drug business after her son, who initially ran the operation, passed away two years ago.
Elsewhere, at the Onne Port in Rivers, agents seized three million pills of tapentadol and carisoprodol—estimated to be worth N2.1 billion—during a container inspection on May 14.
A day earlier, on May 13, NDLEA personnel at the Apapa Port in Lagos intercepted a shipment falsely labelled as automobile parts from India.
The container was found to be loaded with 169,800 bottles of codeine syrup, valued at over N1.1 billion.
Additional crackdowns were carried out in Niger, Kwara, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Taraba, and Lagos, resulting in more arrests and seizures of tramadol, cannabis, and skunk.