National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested Jeremiah Isaiah Nkanta, an 80-year-old ex-convict, over alleged involvement in the sale of illicit drugs in Akwa Ibom State.
Gatekeepers News reports that in a statement on Sunday, NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said Nkanta was picked up on January 10 after operatives traced him to his residence, where about 5.7 kilogrammes of skunk, a strong strain of cannabis, was recovered.
The agency said Nkanta was previously arrested in 2022 for drug trafficking and later sentenced to two years’ imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Uyo. NDLEA alleged that he returned to the illegal trade shortly after completing his jail term.
Babafemi said the arrest formed part of ongoing nationwide operations by the agency to dismantle drug trafficking networks and reduce drug abuse, especially among youths.
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives intercepted tramadol pills weighing about 5.3 kilogrammes concealed inside mannequins along the Oron–Ibaka road in Oron local government area of Akwa Ibom State. A 37-year-old businessman, Ani Onyebuchi Romans, was arrested while allegedly transporting the items to Cameroon.
The suspect reportedly told investigators that he purchased the drugs in Onitsha, Anambra State, and was attempting to smuggle them across the border for resale.
NDLEA also recorded multiple arrests in Oyo and Edo states, where suspects were apprehended with different variants of cannabis, including Colorado, Ghana Loud, Canadian Loud, and skunk. Cash exhibits suspected of being proceeds of drug sales were also recovered during the operations.
The agency said the arrests highlight its renewed resolve to curb drug trafficking, cross-border smuggling, and the spread of illicit substances across Nigeria.
