NDLEA arrests 75-year-old grandfather, intercepts 104,900 tramadol capsules in fuel tanker headed to Borno
A recent operation conducted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Anambra state has resulted in the arrest of six suspects, including a 75-year-old grandpa, Uchelue Ikechukwu, on suspicion of possessing illicit substances. In a separate incident, Alfa Andrew, a 30-year-old, has been apprehended and 178, 750 kilograms of skunk destroyed following the discovery of his 71.5 hectares of cannabis farm in Mayodoga forest, Sardauna local council area of Taraba state.
In a statement, Femi Babafemi, the image maker of NDLEA, revealed that Uchelue was caught at Umudioka, Dunukofia local government area of Anambra with 26.7kg skunk on Thursday, 28th August 2025, and Eneh Makuo, Emmanuel Chiemeli, Uwakwe Matthew, Chukwujekwu Ehirim, Ifeanyichukwu Olisa, and Odoh Chukwuma were arrested with various quantities of opioids and skunk at Nkwelle and Amichi areas of the state.
In his case, Andrew was arrested with a Dane gun on Tuesday 26th August when NDLEA operatives supported by personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Forest Security Service, Mambila Youth Vanguard and Vigilante, stormed his 71.5 hectares of cannabis farm located at Mayodoga forest, Mayosabere ward in Sardauna LGA, Taraba State, where they destroyed 178, 750 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis.
No fewer than 104,900 capsules of tramadol concealed in the driver compartment of a fuel tanker, suspected to be an illicit consignment going to insurgents in parts of Borno state, were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Abuja/Kaduna tollgate in Kaduna on Friday 29th August while a suspect Hassan Buba was immediately taken into custody. Another suspect Kabir Sulaiman, 45, was nabbed with 34.150kg skunk by NDLEA officers at Gwargwaje – Zaria check point on Saturday 30th August.
Following intelligence and surveillance, NDLEA operatives in an interdiction operation on Saturday 30th August arrested a major supplier of illicit opioids in Borno state, 33-year-old Uchenna Umeh shortly after he received his supplies from Onitsha, Anambra state. Recovered from his apartment at Chescon, Pompomary area of Maiduguri include 30,640 pills of tramadol 225mg; 7,940 tablets of rohypnol and a cash of Seven Million Nine Hundred and Ninety-Nine Thousand, Two Hundred Naira (N7,999,200.00) only in N200 new notes
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the Agency’s officers and various commands for their notable arrests and seizures of the past week, while also applauding their compatriots nationwide for stepping up WADA sensitization and advocacy efforts within their areas of responsibility.
