By Ibironke Ariyo
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has arrested 83-year-old and 78-year-old grandpas for alleged illicit drug traffickings and dealings in Abia and Ekiti respectively.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja.
Babafemi said the suspects were among those arrested in ongoing nationwide crackdown on illicit drug traffickers and dealers.
He said that one of the suspects was nabbed by NDLEA officers on Tuesday, April 28, during a raid operation at Samek by Powerline, Aba, Abia.
This, he said, followed credible intelligence that he was dealing in illicit substances.
“As at the time of his arrest, 700 grams of skunk, a strain of cannabis, packaged in retail sachets were recovered from him.
“The octogenarian claimed he was a professional shoemaker before delving into the illicit drug trade,”he said.
In a similar development, NDLEA operatives in Ekiti on Thursday, April 30, arrested a 78-year-old suspect at his H22 Owode Street, Ilupeju-Ekiti for drug peddling.
Babafemi said that 350 grams of the same psychoactive substance were seized from him at the time of his arrest.
Meanwhile, two ladies were arrested by NDLEA operatives in Oyo state in connection with the seizure of 1.925kg Colorado, a synthetic cannabis.
Babafemi said that the first lady was nabbed conveying the consignment along Lagos/Ibadan expressway on Wednesday, April 29.
He added that the second lady was arrested in a follow up operation at Iwo road, Ibadan, when she attempted taking delivery of the cargo.
In another interdiction operation in Ibadan, a notorious drug dealer was arrested on Saturday, May 2, along with his salesman at his residence in Erunmu area of the state capital, after months of evading arrest.
“Two of his associates had been arrested on December 8 and are currently being prosecuted at a Federal High Court Ibadan.
“At the time of his arrest, 3.085 kilograms of skunk and a Toyota Camry car marked EPE 299 JZ were recovered from him,”he said.
With the same zeal, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Day Secondary School, Edozhigi, Gbako LGA, Niger state; Khulafa’ul Rashidun Islamiyya, Rano, Kano; Community Secondary School, Akweze, Anambra.
Also, commercial motorcyclists and their passengers at Poka junction, Epe, Lagos and members of NAPPMED in Benin, Irrua and Auchi, Edo, among others.(NAN)
