NDLEA Arrests Two Grandfathers for Supplying Drugs to Secondary School Students

Nigerian authorities have uncovered a disturbing drug distribution network that allegedly targets secondary school students, leading to the arrest of two elderly men. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) apprehended an 84-year-old pensioner and a 75-year-old man for allegedly supplying illicit substances to teenagers in Abia State.

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The arrests and seizures... underscore what security experts have described as the increasingly sophisticated and disturbing dimensions of the country’s illicit drug trade, with elderly persons and school children now emerging as both distributors and victims.

The arrests underscore the increasingly sophisticated and alarming reach of narcotics into Nigerian educational institutions. In one case, 75-year-old Godwin Obiora was arrested at his patent medicine store in Umuahia, where 4.64 kilograms of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam, were recovered. Separately, 84-year-old Godfrey Orji was caught allegedly supplying drugs to students within the premises of Saint Silas Secondary School.

One 15-year-old student reportedly confessed that Orji regularly supplied him with drugs, which he consumed and sold to classmates. While the two elderly suspects face arraignment, the teenagers are undergoing counseling and rehabilitation. These developments intensify concerns over adolescent drug abuse and the exploitation of school environments by traffickers.

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Orji regularly supplied him with drugs, which he consumed and also sold to fellow students.

In parallel operations, the NDLEA intercepted a 9.5-kilogram shipment of synthetic cannabinoid from China at a courier company in Lagos. They also seized 300 grams of high-potency cannabis, known as Loud, concealed in handbags destined for Dubai. Further operations led to the arrest of a wanted couple linked to a major drug syndicate and a 75-year-old grandmother in Oyo State during a large cannabis bust, indicating a widespread and multi-faceted drug trade.

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While we take pride in the successful rescue of 353 individuals within the first five months of the year, these incidents equally serve as a poignant reminder of the need for greater caution and responsibility on our roads, particularly during the ongoing rainy season.