The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has arrested an 80-year-old grandpa for returning to the criminal trade.

The Octogenarian reverted to trafficking barely three years after he was arrested, prosecuted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for dealing in illicit drugs.

The Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that the suspect was notorious for illicit drug business, saying, “He was first arrested by NDLEA on Dec.

“Not ready to let go of the old habit, the suspect returned to the illicit drug trade.

“Following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, Jan. 10, tracked the Octogenarian ex-convict to his Mmanta – Abak village, Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.

“This was where he was arrested with 5.7 kilogrammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis in his residence.”

In another successful interdiction operation in Akwa Ibom, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Oron-Ibaka road in Oron LGA on Friday, Jan. 9, intercepted a 37-year-old businessman.

Babafemi said that the arrest was made while the suspect was travelling with full body mannequins for his clothing business in Cameroon.

The director said that a search of the mannequins revealed that they were stuffed with pills of tramadol weighing 5.3 kilogrammes.

He added that the suspect claimed that he resided in Cameroon 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, and was trafficking them to Cameroun to sell, using two mannequins to conceal the opioids,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Oyo, raids across different locations led to the seizure of dangerous illicit drugs and arrest of notorious dealers, including a 45-year-old suspected drug trafficker at Sasa, Ibadan.

Babafemi said that a total of 10.696 kilogrammes of Colorado, Scottish Loud, Ghana Loud, Canadian Loud and skunk, all strains of cannabis were recovered from him.

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

“Also, at Adegbayi area of the state capital, Ibadan, NDLEA officers on Friday, Jan. 9, apprehended a suspect with various quantities of Colorado, Ghana Loud and skunk.

“Similarly, another suspected drug trafficker was nabbed at Ring road, Ibadan with 1.264kg Colorado, Scottish Loud and skunk.

“Not less than N1.3 million cash exhibit was also recovered from him at the point of his arrest on Saturday, Jan. 10,” he maintained.

In another development, a dispatch rider and two other suspects were on Friday, Jan. 9, arrested at Ihama/Airport road GRA, Benin City, Edo, in connection with the seizure of 118 grammes of Canadian Loud and a wrap of Colorado.

Babafemi said that while a suspected drug trafficker was arrested at Irrua with 17.552kg Colorado, Loud and skunk, another suspect was nabbed at Ubiaja with 930 grammes of skunk on Wednesday, Jan. 7.

In Niger, no fewer than 4,000 pills of tramadol 225mg were recovered from a suspect at Dakwa town in Tafa LGA.

Babafemi said that another suspect was nabbed with 100 blocks of skunk weighing 47kg Lankaviri, Yorro LGA of Taraba, on Wednesday, Jan. 7.

“Similarly, not less than 30,950 capsules of tramadol were recovered from the home of a suspect in Bachure area of Yola South LGA of Adamawa, following his arrest at the Lamido Aliyu Mustapha International Airport Yola on Tuesday, Jan. 6.

“With the same vigour, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities to schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities among others in the past week.

“These include: WADA sensitisation lecture to students and staff of Government Day Science and Technical College, Babura, Jigawa; Abu Ayubal Ansari Islamiyya School.

“Also included were Layin Indo Mai Tuwan Tara, Fagge LGA, Kano; and youths of Oshituma Umuogudu Akpu Ngbo, Ebonyi state, among others,” he said.

A veteran photojournalist, Malam Umar Usman Iyale has been abducted by bandits in Danhonu II community, Millennium City, in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Monday, around 9 pm.

Umar was a retired staff member of Africa Independent Television (AIT), Kaduna Station, and formerly of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Kaduna.

Sources said the kidnappers carried out the operation quietly but in a coordinated manner, gaining access to the compound at a time when some members of the journalist’s family were yet to return home.

Also, it was gathered that the hoodlums demanded money from the victim, and when he could not provide, they forcefully abducted him to an unknown destination.

When our Correspondent visited the area (Danhonu II), residents were expressing concern over the safety of Malam Umar, who was described as elderly and battling health challenges.

“He is not someone who can withstand hardship for long. Everyone here is worried,” a resident said.

The incident has also revived memories of the July 2024 abduction of two journalists, including the current Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council, AbdulGafar Alabelewe of The Nation newspaper, and AbdulRaheem Aodu of Blueprint Newspaper, who were kidnapped alongside members of their families from the same community.

Residents called for more decisive and sustained security action to halt the activities of criminal gangs, despite ongoing efforts under the Kaduna Peace Model, which they said must be strengthened to address pockets of kidnapping.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Police Command has confirmed the incident, saying it has launched an investigation aimed at rescuing the victim unhurt.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, said the Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Muhammad, had immediately deployed a team of operatives to track down the abductors and secure the safe release of Malam Umar.

The Police Command in Lagos State has invited Pastor Chris Okafor, Senior Pastor of the Mountain of Liberation and Miracles Ministries over alleged multiple rape and other sexual offences.

The command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed this in a statement in Lagos.

She said that the Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, had directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to carry out thorough investigation into the allegations.

According to her, the suspect has been formally served with an invitation letter through his legal representative and is expected to cooperate fully with investigators at the SCID, Panti.

“He is expected to cooperate with the police as investigations into what were described as capital offences and other serious crimes commence.

“CP Jimoh also ordered immediate and full security coverage for alleged victims, urging them to come forward to report their complaints at the SCID,” she said.

The spokesperson assured the public that the identities of victims and witnesses would be kept strictly confidential and adequately protected throughout the investigation.

Adebisi appealed to anyone with credible information or evidence relevant to the case to assist investigators by contacting the SCID directly or through the Police Public Relations Department at the Lagos State Police Command.

She assured members of the public that the investigation would be conducted in a professional, transparent, and unbiased manner, in line with the laws of the land.

The image maker said that the command remains committed to maintaining law and order and ensuring that all allegations of criminal acts against anyone were discreetly and thoroughly investigated according to law.