75-year-old grandpa arrested as NDLEA destroys 178,000kg skunk in Taraba forest

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

A 75-year-old grandpa Uchelue Ikechukwu was among six suspects arrested with illicit substances in raids by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in parts of Anambra state, just as 30-year-old Alfa Andrew was taken into custody following the destruction of 178, 750 kilograms of skunk on his 71.5 hectares of cannabis farm in Mayodoga forest, Sardauna local council area of Taraba state.
This was contained in a statement issued yesterday by Femi Babafemi Director, Media & Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters Abuja.
It said while Uchelue was nabbed at Umudioka, Dunukofia local government area of Anambra with 26.7kg skunk on Thursday 28th August 2025, Eneh Makuo; Emmanuel Chiemeli; Uwakwe Matthew; Chukwujekwu Ehirim; Ifeanyichukwu Olisa and Odoh Chukwuma, were arrested with various quantities of opioids and skunk at Nkwelle and Amichi areas of the state.
In his case, Andrew was arrested with a Dane gun on Tuesday 26th August when NDLEA operatives supported by personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Forest Security Service, Mambila Youth Vanguard and Vigilante, stormed his 71.5 hectares of cannabis farm located at Mayodoga forest, Mayosabere ward in Sardauna LGA, Taraba State, where they destroyed 178, 750 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis.
“No fewer than 104,900 capsules of tramadol concealed in the driver compartment of a fuel tanker, suspected to be an illicit consignment going to insurgents in parts of Borno state, were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Abuja/Kaduna tollgate in Kaduna on Friday 29th August while a suspect Hassan Buba was immediately taken into custody. Another suspect Kabir Sulaiman, 45, was nabbed with 34.150kg skunk by NDLEA officers at Gwargwaje – Zaria check point on Saturday 30th August.
Following intelligence and surveillance, NDLEA operatives in an interdiction operation on Saturday 30th August arrested a major supplier of illicit opioids in Borno state, 33-year-old Uchenna Umeh shortly after he received his supplies from Onitsha, Anambra state. Recovered from his apartment at Chescon, Pompomary area of Maiduguri include 30,640 pills of tramadol 225mg; 7,940 tablets of rohypnol and a cash of Seven Million Nine Hundred and Ninety-Nine Thousand, Two Hundred Naira (N7,999,200.00) only in N200 new notes.”