Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 75-year-old man in Ebonyi State as part of a wider crackdown on illicit drug trafficking across several parts of the country.
The suspect, identified as Okebe Samuel, was apprehended in Okposi community, Ebonyi State, where anti-narcotics officers reportedly recovered 300 grams of skunk packaged in small sachets believed to be intended for retail distribution.
According to the agency, the elderly suspect was involved in selling the substance to young people within the community.
The arrest was disclosed by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi in a statement highlighting recent operations conducted by the agency nationwide.
The development formed part of a series of enforcement actions that also targeted suspected traffickers in Taraba, Edo, Imo, Kano, and Gombe states.
In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a truck transporting building materials from Onitsha to Jalingo after receiving intelligence about suspected drug trafficking activities.
A search of the vehicle reportedly uncovered large quantities of controlled substances hidden beneath the cargo. A 22-year-old suspect, Buhari Abdullahi, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
Commenting on the Ebonyi arrest, Babafemi noted that the operation demonstrated that age does not place anyone beyond the reach of the law. He stated that NDLEA officers arrested the suspect after tracking his activities in the community.
The agency’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the various operations.
He praised their vigilance and determination, while reiterating the agency’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks across the country.
Marwa also stressed that offenders would continue to be pursued regardless of “age, gender or concealment methods.”