The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested the founder and general Overseer of the Turn of Mercy Church, Prophet Adefolusho Olasele (alias Abbas Ajakaiye), for masterminding multiple shipments of illicit drugs into Nigeria.

This is contained in a statement by the director, media and advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Babafemi said that he was arrested at his church located in Okun Ajah, Ogombo road, Lekki area of Lagos on Aug. 3.

He said that NDLEA officers had waited for him since morning to conclude the Sunday worship service in the evening before moving in on him the moment he stepped out of the church premises.

He also said that the arrest came after he had evaded arrest twice and fled to Ghana to hide since June.

This, he said, was when operatives started trailing him following the seizure of two shipments of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis linked to him.

“The first seizure of 200kg of the psychoactive substance was made at Okun Ajah beach on June 4.

“Another consignment of 700kg of the same substance was recovered from his delivery van on July 6.

“In his statement, he admitted ferrying the illicit consignments through the waterways from Ghana into Nigeria.

“He added that he had fled to the West African country to hide after he escaped arrest twice in the recent past,” he said.

Mr Babafemi said the NDLEA chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of the Lagos Commands for the arrests, seizures and their dexterity.

Mr Marwa enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the agency.

(NAN)