NDLEA Arrests 93-Year-Old Great-Grandfather and Medical Doctor in Sweeping Drug Crackdown

Nonagenarian caught with 7.7kg of skunk in Abia

A 93-year-old great-grandfather and a 69-year-old medical doctor are among the suspects arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in a sweeping intelligence-led operation across multiple states.

Pa Friday Ahukanna Chigbu was arrested at his home in Umuagbaigba, Amavo Nkwogu village, Osisioma Local Government Area of Abia State on April 7, 2026. A search of his residence turned up 7.7 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis.

The nonagenarian told investigators he had been smoking skunk since 1959 before eventually deciding to sell it. He said he previously worked as a truck pusher, then learned painting and tiling, and went into the drug trade just over a year ago.

The doctor behind an international cocaine pipeline

In a separate operation, NDLEA arrested an Ivorian national, Gohouri Michael, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport with 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49kg. Michael had swallowed the consignment in his hotel room and was about to board Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 to Milan via Addis Ababa. He expected to collect 5,000 euros on delivery.

Investigation revealed that someone was feeding Gohouri instructions on how to move the cocaine through the airport. That person turned out to be Dr. Chudi Daniel Ofomata, a 69-year-old medical doctor, who was tracked to his residence at Teachers’ Land Estate, Magboro, Obafemi Owode LGA, Ogun State and arrested on March 27. Officers recovered 63 grams of promazepam and 7 ampoules of promethazine injection from him.

Massive seizures across the country

The crackdown went well beyond these two arrests. In Edo State, two trucks carrying 7,245kg of skunk combined were intercepted with five suspects arrested. Lagos operatives seized 15kg of “Loud” cannabis from a commercial bus and 26,800 bottles of codeine syrup in a separate raid. A couple in Niger State was caught with 118kg of skunk in their home. Three suspects were picked up with 34kg in Sango Ota, Ogun State. A 26-year-old woman was arrested with 56.2kg along the Onitsha-Owerri road in Imo State. In Borno, large quantities of Rohypnol, codeine syrup, and injections were seized.

NDLEA Chairman Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended officers across commands. The agency’s War Against Drug Abuse advocacy also continued in schools and communities nationwide.

Sources: Vanguard, TheMatrix Newspapers