Ex-Lagos Council Chief Arrested as NDLEA Recovers Illicit Drugs Hidden in Baby Diapers

Abuja, Nigeria — Sunday, March 8, 2026

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a former two-term councillor in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State, as part of a series of nationwide operations that led to multiple drug seizures and arrests across the country.

The suspect, Sheleru Sadiq Olalekan, 45, a former councilor who currently serves as a legislative aide, was arrested on Monday, March 2, 2026, at his residence in Ilado, Ibeju-Lekki. During a search of the premises, NDLEA officers recovered 40 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, concealed in one of the rooms in the house.

In his statement, Olalekan admitted ownership of the seized drugs and the property where they were found. He also confirmed that he previously served two terms as a councillor representing the Orimedu community in the Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Council.

In a separate operation in the Federal Capital Territory, NDLEA officers on Tuesday, March 3, intercepted a 32-year-old businessman, Emeka Hyginus Okwor, in a vehicle travelling from Obollo-Afor in Enugu State to Zuba in Abuja. A search of his luggage revealed 1,000 pills of tapentadol 250mg hidden inside baby diapers. The suspect admitted ownership of the drugs and said they were meant for delivery to Guduwa Village in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State.

Also on March 3, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Kabba-Obajana Highway in Kogi State intercepted 1.55 kilograms of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, concealed inside a standing fan carton belonging to a 36-year-old Cameroonian national, Mey Ali Muhamat. The suspect, who hails from Maroua in the Republic of Cameroon, was travelling in a commercial bus from Lagos en route through Lokoja, Kano and Maiduguri before crossing into Cameroon.

In Niger State, operatives on patrol along the Mokwa-Jebba Road on Wednesday, March 4, intercepted a commercial bus coming from Ibadan, Oyo State, carrying 500 pieces of improvised explosive device (IED) components hidden inside a sack. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the intended recipient, Osama Abdullahi, 21, at Pelegi in Mashegu Local Government Area.

Further seizures were recorded in other parts of the country. In Yola, Adamawa State, NDLEA operatives discovered 122,000 pills of tramadol and 700 grams of methamphetamine hidden in the false bottom of a truck conveying 2,000 cartons of local drinks.

In Kano, officers arrested Muhammed Ali, 20, at Gadar Tamburawa with 11,283 pills of tramadol, while a raid in Ogere, Ogun State, led to the arrest of Nazifi Mudansir and Kabiru Musa with 46 kilograms of skunk.

In Delta State, two suspects — Joy Chukwuma, 25, and Eugene Felix, 22 — were arrested on Saturday, March 7, at Ogwashi-Uku with 18.63 kilograms of skunk, 10.8 litres of codeine-based syrup, and 4,268 pills of tramadol and swinol.

In Edo State, NDLEA operatives destroyed 1,910.25 kilograms of skunk on two farms in Egbisi Forest, Uhumwonde Local Government Area, following the arrest of Eke London, 48, and his accomplice Austin Isusi, 49. Another suspect, Alaba Adeboye, 47, was arrested in Ikhin, Owan East Local Government Area, with 176.50 kilograms of skunk.

Meanwhile, Commands and formations of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaign in schools, workplaces, worship centres, and communities.

Recent outreach activities included enlightenment lectures at Government Senior College, Apata, Ibadan; Government Girls Secondary School, Katcha, Niger State; Government Girls Day Secondary School, Tsafe, Zamfara State; Sango Junior Secondary School, Agege, Lagos; Government Day Secondary School, Illela, Sokoto State; and Archbishop Akinola International Secondary School, Afikpo, Ebonyi State.

The agency reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining operations and public awareness campaigns aimed at curbing drug trafficking and abuse across Nigeria.