The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested an 80-year-old ex-convict, Jeremiah Isaiah Nkanta, over alleged possession of illicit drugs.
According to the agency, Nkanta had previously been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Akwa Ibom State after his arrest in November 2022 for involvement in illicit drug trafficking.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, alleged that the octogenarian returned to the illegal drug trade after serving his jail term.
Babafemi said that on January 10, NDLEA operatives tracked Nkanta to Abak village in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, where 5.7 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, was allegedly recovered from his residence.
“Barely three years after he was arrested, prosecuted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for dealing in illicit drugs, an 80-year-old grandpa Jeremiah Isaiah Nkanta has again been nabbed by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for returning to the criminal trade,” the statement read.
“Notorious for illicit drug business, Nkanta was first arrested by NDLEA on 14th December 2022, prosecuted and sentenced to two years in jail by a Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state.”
In a related development, NDLEA operatives also arrested a 37-year-old businessman, Ani Onyebuchi Romans, who was allegedly conveying mannequins stuffed with tramadol pills weighing 5.3 kilograms.
Romans was arrested along the Oron–Ibaka road in Oron Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State while reportedly heading to Cameroon.
“The suspect claims he resides in Cameroon and was reportedly returning to his base after the Christmas and New Year holidays when he was apprehended,” Babafemi said.
“It was revealed that he bought the drugs in Onitsha, Anambra state and was trafficking them to Cameroun to sell, using two mannequins to conceal the opioids.”
The NDLEA spokesperson further disclosed that operatives arrested a 45-year-old man, Remi Bamidele, at Sasa, Ibadan, Oyo State, over alleged possession of different strains of cannabis.
“At Adegbayi area of the state capital Ibadan, NDLEA officers on Friday 9th January arrested Adeola Toheeb, 27, with various quantities of Colorado, Ghana Loud and skunk while Habeeb Ali, 29, was nabbed at Ring road, Ibadan with 1.264kg Colorado, Scottish Loud and skunk,” the statement added.
“Not less than one million three hundred and seven thousand one hundred naira (₦1,307,100) cash exhibit was also recovered from him at the point of his arrest on Saturday 10th January.
“A dispatch rider Osagbovo Edigin, 30, and two other suspects: Ebimi Labo, 28, and Akhimie Success, 25, were on Friday 9th January arrested at Ihama/Airport road GRA Benin City, Edo state in connection with the seizure of 118grams of Canadian Loud and a wrap of Colorado.”
