The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested 83-year-old and 78-year-old grandpas for alleged illicit drug trafficking and dealings in Abia and Ekiti states, respectively.

Femi Babafemi, the agency’s director of media and advocacy, announced this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.

Mr Babafemi said the suspects were among those arrested in the ongoing nationwide crackdown on illicit drug traffickers and dealers.

He said that one of the suspects was nabbed by NDLEA officers on Tuesday, April 28, during a raid operation at Samek by Powerline, Aba, Abia.

This, he said,  followed credible intelligence that he was dealing in illicit substances.

“At the time of his arrest, 700 grams of skunk, a strain of cannabis, packaged in retail sachets, were recovered from him.

“The octogenarian claimed he was a professional shoemaker before delving into the illicit drug trade,” he said.

In a similar development, NDLEA operatives in Ekiti on Thursday, April 30,  arrested a 78-year-old suspect at his H22 Owode Street, Ilupeju-Ekiti, for drug peddling.

Mr Babafemi said that 350 grams of the same psychoactive substance were seized from him at the time of his arrest.

‎Meanwhile, two ladies were arrested by NDLEA operatives in Oyo state in connection with the seizure of 1.925kg of colorado, a synthetic cannabis.

Mr Babafemi said that the first lady was nabbed conveying the consignment along the Lagos/Ibadan expressway on Wednesday, April 29.

He added that the second lady was arrested during a follow-up operation on Iwo Road, Ibadan, when she attempted to take delivery of the cargo.

In another interdiction operation in Ibadan, a notorious drug dealer was arrested on Saturday, May 2, along with his salesman at his residence in the Erunmu area of the state capital, after months of evading arrest.

“Two of his associates had been arrested on December 8 and are currently being prosecuted at a Federal High Court in Ibadan.

“At the time of his arrest, 3.085 kilograms of skunk and a Toyota Camry car marked EPE 299 JZ were recovered from him,” he said.

With the same zeal, the agency’s commands and formations across the country continued their war against drug abuse through sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities, among others, in the past week.

These include: a war against drug abuse enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Day Secondary School, Edozhigi, Gbako LGA, Niger State; Khulafa’ul Rashidun Islamiyya, Rano, Kano; and Community Secondary School, Akweze, Anambra.

Also, commercial motorcyclists and their passengers at Poka Junction, Epe, Lagos, and members of NAPPMED in Benin, Irrua, and Auchi, Edo, among others.

(NAN)