The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has announced the arrest of two elderly men accused of dealing in illicit substances and selling them to teenage secondary school students in Umuahia, the Abia State capital. The suspects were named as an 84-year-old man, Godfrey Oji, and a 75-year-old man, Godwin Obura, both of whom are accused of supplying drugs to young people in the area.
In a statement signed by the agency's Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA said Mr. Obura was arrested on June 19, 2026, following credible intelligence that he had been selling illicit substances to young students and others. According to the agency, he operated out of a patent medicine store located in Umuahia, which served as a cover for the alleged trade.
During a search of Mr. Obura's premises, operatives recovered 4.64 kilograms of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam, the statement said. The seizure of the controlled substances formed part of the evidence gathered against the suspect after officers moved in on the store to carry out the operation.
The agency said the second suspect, Mr. Oji, who is a pensioner, was nabbed a day earlier, on June 18, by security guards at St. Silas secondary school in Umuahia. He was accused of supplying illicit drugs to two teenage students at the school, an incident that drew the attention of the authorities to his activities.
According to the statement, one of the two teenagers, a 15-year-old SS2 student, told investigators that the 84-year-old supplied him with drugs, which he then took to school and sold to other students. The NDLEA said the grandfathers are billed to have their day in court, while the students involved have been placed on counseling and rehabilitation.
The arrests were announced as the NDLEA and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, held a joint news conference. The agency's secretary, Mr. Shadrach Karuna, who represented the chairman, retired Brigadier General Buba Marwa, said the agency is not only arresting drug traffickers but also tracing, seizing and forfeiting assets suspected to be linked to drug crimes.
Officials added that the agency's campaign against drug abuse has evolved into a whole-of-society movement, drawing in communities, schools and civil society groups. The NDLEA said it is marking the 2026 World Drug Day with various activities, including a walk against drug abuse, youth outreach programs and an essay competition.