NDLEA Arrests 93-yr-old Man, Medical Doctor For Drug Trafficking

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 93-year-old great grand-father and a 69-year-old medical doctor as the anti-narcotics agency intensified its offensive action and crackdown on drug cartels and their collaborators in intelligence-led interdiction operations across the country.

NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said in one of such operations, a nonagenarian, Pa Friday Ahukanna Chigbu, was arrested at his home in Umuagbaigba, Amavo Nkwogu village, Osisioma local government area of Abia State on Tuesday April 7, 2026 and a search of his residence led to the recovery of 7.7 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis.

The suspect claimed he had worked as a truck pusher but later learnt painting and tiling before going into the illicit drug business over a year ago.

He claimed he had been smoking skunk since 1959 before turning it into business.

Also, the NDLEA arrested an Ivorian, Gohouri Michael, 41, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, with 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49kg.

The arrest of the Ivorian led to the arrest of a 69-year-old medical doctor, Dr. Chudi Daniel Ofomata, in a follow-up operation in Ogun State.

The Ivorian, Gohouri (also known as Anunwa Onyinye Michael) was arrested on Monday, February 16, 2026 during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 to Milan, Malpensa via Addis Ababa.

Gohouri had arrived Lagos from Milan, Italy, on January 17, 2026, and was shuttling from Lagos to Enugu for three weeks. He later travelled to Kano, where he stayed for a week before ingesting the cocaine consignment in his hotel room. He was expected to be paid 5,000 Euros when he delivers the drugs in Milan.

According to the NDLEA, “Further investigation by NDLEA revealed that Gohouri had a shadowy figure behind the scene, giving him instructions on how to move the cocaine consignment through the airport. The hidden figure behind Gohouri was eventually discovered to be Dr. Ofomata who was later tracked and traced to his residence at Teachers’ Land estate, Magboro, Obafemi Owode LGA, Ogun State where he was arrested on March 27, 2026 and flown to Kano on Tuesday April 7.

“Recovered from him at the point of his arrest include 63grams of promazepam and seven ampoules of promethazine injection.”

Also, three suspects, namely: Azeez Sanni, Olayinka Oke and Adekunle Adeyemi were arrested with 34 kilograms of skunk when NDLEA operatives raided Sango Under bridge, Sango Ota, Ogun state on Tuesday, April 7, while 56.2kg of same substance was recovered from a female suspect, Ayoka Akinwale, 26, along Onitsha- Owerri road, Owerri, Imo State on Saturday, April 11.