NDLEA Arrests Nigerian Cleric Over Alleged Cross-Border Drug Trafficking; Seizes Over 4 Tons of Narcotics in Nationwide Raids.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended Prophet Adefolusho Aanu Olasele, also known by the alias Abbas Ajakaiye, the founder and General Overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, in connection with a large-scale, cross-border drug trafficking network. His arrest marks a significant development in the agency’s ongoing crackdown on illicit drug smuggling operations with international ties.
According to Femi Babafemi, the spokesperson for the NDLEA, Olasele was arrested on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at his church premises located in Okun Ajah, Lekki, a suburb of Lagos State. NDLEA operatives had placed the church under discreet surveillance throughout the day and moved in to apprehend the cleric shortly after the evening worship session concluded.
The arrest follows an intensive investigation linking the suspect to two substantial drug shipments of cannabis sativa, specifically a high-grade strain popularly referred to as Ghana Loud. The first consignment, weighing 200 kilograms, was intercepted at the Okun Ajah beach on June 4, 2025. A second, much larger shipment — weighing approximately 700 kilograms — was seized from a delivery van on July 6, 2025.
During initial interrogation, Olasele reportedly confessed to his involvement in transporting the narcotics from Ghana to Nigeria via maritime routes, evading detection by using remote landing points along Nigeria’s coastal areas. He also admitted to previously fleeing to Ghana after narrowly avoiding arrest on two prior occasions.
Nationwide Anti-Drug Operations Yield Massive Seizures
In separate but related enforcement operations across several Nigerian states, the NDLEA recorded a series of significant drug busts between 6 and 9 August 2025, recovering a wide range of controlled substances and detaining multiple suspects.
In Lagos State, agents arrested Benjamin Udo Ukoh on August 7 at Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, seizing 32 pouches of high-potency Canadian Loud cannabis, with a total weight of 15.63 kilograms.
Elsewhere in Nasarawa State, a coordinated raid in New Karu on August 9 led to the confiscation of an estimated 3,093 kilograms of skunk from three individuals suspected of trafficking large quantities of the drug.
In Kano State, a major drug interception took place on August 8, when officers apprehended Nura Yahaya in possession of 639 compressed blocks of skunk, amounting to 359 kilograms. Two days earlier, on August 6, another suspect, Umar Adamu Umar, was arrested with 9 kilograms of a synthetic cannabis variant known locally as Colorado.
NDLEA Zaria-Kano Raid
The NDLEA’s Zaria-Kano road patrol also made a significant bust on August 8, confiscating 20,000 tablets of tramadol and 200 ampoules of diazepam from Usman Musa, further highlighting the widespread circulation of pharmaceutical opioids.
In Gombe State, anti-narcotics agents raided an uncompleted building in Tudun Wadan Pantami on August 8, recovering a staggering 550,266 pills, most of which were tramadol — a synthetic opioid commonly abused for its euphoric effects. One suspect, Usama Isah, was arrested on site. The following day, another suspect, Ibrahim Adamu, was caught with 50,000 tramadol capsules, adding to the week’s opioid-related seizures.
Further south, in Edo State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a Toyota Hiace passenger bus traveling from Onitsha to Isanlu on August 6 at Ewu junction. A thorough search uncovered 23,940 tramadol capsules, 1,100 tramadol tablets, and 400 ampoules of pentazocine, a powerful analgesic often misused. The vehicle’s driver, Taiye Jethro, was taken into custody and is assisting with investigations.
Ongoing Drug Awareness and Prevention Campaigns
While enforcement remains a central pillar of its mission, the NDLEA continues to emphasize public education and demand reduction as part of its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative. Throughout the week, NDLEA officers conducted awareness campaigns in schools, military formations, trade unions, and correctional centers nationwide, aiming to educate Nigerians about the dangers of drug abuse and the importance of rehabilitation.
NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retired), praised the efforts of the various state commands and reiterated the agency’s resolve to sustain its aggressive approach to drug control. He commended officers for their dedication and urged them to remain vigilant as the fight against illicit drug trafficking and abuse intensifies.
