The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended two elderly individuals, 80-year-old Ayuba Ashiru and 82-year-old Mrs. Uloma Uchechi, for drug-related offences during recent nationwide raids.
Ayuba Ashiru was arrested on May 14, 2025, at Barazana Street, Dogarawa in Sabon Gari Local Government Area, Kaduna State, after operatives acted on credible intelligence. Authorities recovered 2.3 kilograms of skunk, neatly packaged in nylons and paper for retail distribution.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi confirmed that Ashiru is a repeat offender, having previously served a 10-year jail term (2014–2024) for similar drug trafficking crimes. According to his confession, Ayuba has been involved in drug dealing for over 46 years.
In a separate operation on May 17, 2025, NDLEA agents raided the home of Mrs. Uloma Uchechi in Umuaguma Ntigha Uzor village, Abia State. During the search, officers seized methamphetamine, tramadol, skunk, and ₦130,600 in cash from the 82-year-old and her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom Uchechi.
Babafemi noted that the grandmother admitted to continuing the drug trade with her daughter after her son, who initially ran the operation, passed away two years ago.
Alongside these arrests, NDLEA operatives also intercepted opioids valued at over ₦3.2 billion during operations at Apapa Seaport in Lagos and Onne Port in Rivers State, underscoring the agency’s ongoing crackdown on narcotics trafficking across the nation.
In addition to enforcement actions, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy campaigns through its Commands across the country, aiming to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse and trafficking.