80-year-old ex-convict arrested as NDLEA uncovers illicit drugs in body mannequins

Barely three years after he was arrested, prosecuted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for dealing in illicit drugs, an 80-year-old grandpa Jeremiah Isaiah Nkanta has again been nabbed by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for returning to the criminal trade.

Notorious for illicit drug business, Nkanta was first arrested by NDLEA on 14th December 2022, prosecuted and sentenced to two years in jail by a Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

According to the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy on Sunday in a statement, not ready to let go the old habit, Nkanta returned to the illicit drug trade and following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Saturday 10th January 2025 tracked the Octogenarian ex-convict to his Mmanta-Abak village, Abak local government area of Akwa Ibom State, where he was arrested with 5.7kgs of skunk, a strain of cannabis in his residence.

“In another successful interdiction operation in Akwa Ibom State, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Oron-Ibaka road in Oron LGA on Friday 9th January intercepted a 37-year-old businessman Ani Onyebuchi Romans while travelling with full body mannequins for his clothing business in Cameroun.

“A search of the mannequins revealed that they were stuffed with pills of tramadol weighing 5.3kgs,” Babafemi said.

The suspect claims he resides in Cameroun and was reportedly returning to his base after the Christmas and New Year holidays when he was apprehended.

It was revealed that he bought the drugs in Onitsha, Anambra State and was trafficking them to Cameroun to sell, using two mannequins to conceal the opioids.

In Oyo State, raids across different locations led to the seizure of dangerous illicit drugs and arrest of notorious dealers, including 45-year-old Remi Bamidele (Alias ‘Aluko the Mafia’) at Sasa, Ibadan, where a total of 10.696kgs of Colorado, Scottish Loud, Ghana Loud, Canadian Loud and skunk, all strains of cannabis.

At the time of his arrest on Thursday 8th January, two vehicles: Toyota Venza and Toyota Yaris marked HG 06 LYD were recovered from him.

At Adegbayi area of the state capital Ibadan, NDLEA officers on Friday 9th January arrested Adeola Toheeb, 27, with various quantities of Colorado, Ghana Loud and skunk while Habeeb Ali, 29, was nabbed at Ring road, Ibadan with 1.264kgs Colorado, Scottish Loud and skunk.

Not less than N1,307,100 cash exhibit was also recovered from him at the point of his arrest on Saturday 10th January.

Meanwhile, a dispatch rider Osagbovo Edigin, 30, and two other suspects: Ebimi Labo, 28, and Akhimie Success, 25, were on Friday 9th January arrested at Ihama/Airport road GRA Benin City, Edo State in connection with the seizure of 118grams of Canadian Loud and a wrap of Colorado.

While Jimoh Agbonmhegbe, 49, was arrested at Irrua with 17.552kgs Colorado, Loud and skunk, another suspect Evelyn Okoyomon, 38, was nabbed at Ubiaja with 930 grams of skunk on Wednesday 7th January.

In Niger State, no fewer than 4,000 pills of tramadol 225mg were recovered from a suspect Nazifi Umar, 22, at Dakwa town, Tafa LGA, while another suspect Yusuf Usman, 41, was nabbed with 100 blocks of skunk weighing 47kg Lankaviri, Yorro LGA Taraba state on Wednesday 7th January.

Also, not less than 30,950 capsules of tramadol were recovered from the home of a suspect Ugwoke Chibueze, 40, in Bachure area of Yola South LGA, Adamawa State following his arrest at the Lamido Aliyu Mustapha International Airport Yola on Tuesday 6th January.

While commending the officers and men of Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Taraba, Edo, Oyo, and Niger Commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.