The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended 80-year-old Aremu Shojobi in Lagos for possession of 14 kilograms of cannabis. Shojobi, who was arrested at his residence in Iyana Ipaja, admitted to selling illicit drugs for over 25 years. He revealed that his supply came from Benin Republic and that he operated daily from 7 am to 10 pm, serving customers from his home.
In a statement released on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi detailed the arrest, which was carried out by the agency’s Lagos State Strategic Command on September 20th. Babafemi noted that Shojobi’s long-standing drug operations are part of a broader crackdown by the NDLEA on illicit substances across the country.
In addition to Shojobi’s arrest, NDLEA operatives made significant seizures at the Tincan Port complex in Lagos. A total of 25 million pills of tapentadol, a potent opioid three times stronger than tramadol, along with 350,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup, were intercepted from three containers on the 17th and 20th of September. These seizures have an estimated street value of ₦14.95 billion.
Babafemi explained that the containers, flagged by NDLEA for thorough inspection, revealed 500 cartons of tapentadol and 175,000 bottles of cough syrup containing codeine. The drugs were hidden in shipments flagged for joint examination by the NDLEA, Nigeria Customs Service, and other security agencies.
In a related operation, NDLEA raided the homes of community leader Alhaji Bashir Mohammed Talba in Badagry. The operatives recovered 226kg of cannabis from his two wives and son. Although Talba remains at large, searches of his homes led to the confiscation of hundreds of cannabis blocks from both locations.
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The NDLEA also foiled various drug smuggling attempts across Nigeria, including the arrest of Okafor Ifeanyi Anthony, a 38-year-old man who attempted to smuggle 76 wraps of cocaine at Kano’s Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
Meanwhile, NDLEA officers in Kogi, Rivers, Niger, and Kwara states intercepted large quantities of cannabis, tramadol, and other illicit drugs, further demonstrating the agency’s nationwide efforts to combat drug trafficking.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the continued efforts of the agency in curbing drug abuse and trafficking, highlighting the successes of the Tincan, MAKIA, and other regional commands.