Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a former two-term councillor in Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos, Sheleru Sadiq Olalekan, over alleged involvement in illicit drug trafficking.
The agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrest in a statement, noting that Olalekan was apprehended after intelligence linked him to drug dealing.
Babafemi said, “The 45-year-old ex-local council chief who currently serves as a legislative aide was arrested on Monday, 2nd March 2026, at his residence in Ilado, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, where a search was conducted and 40 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, were recovered from one of his rooms.
“In his statement, Sheleru admitted ownership of the exhibit and the property where it was recovered.
“He said he had previously served two terms as a Councilor representing the Orimedu community in the Ibeju-Lekki local government council”.
The NDLEA also reported other drug-related arrests across the country within the past week.
Babafemi added, “At the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, NDLEA officers on Tuesday, 3rd March, intercepted a 32-year-old businessman, Emeka Hyginus Okwor, in a vehicle coming from Obollo- Afor in Enugu state to Zuba, FCT.
“When his luggage was searched, 1,000 pills of tapentadol 250mg were found concealed inside baby diapers.
“The suspect admitted ownership and revealed that he was taking the consignment to Guduwa village in Gurara LGA, Niger state, where he has a provision store.
“On the same day, 3rd of March, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kabba/Obajana highway, Kogi state, intercepted a consignment of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 1.550kg concealed inside a standing fan carton belonging to 36-year-old Cameroon national, Mey Ali Muhamat, who hails from Maroua, Republic of Cameroon.
“The suspect was travelling in a commercial bus from Lagos to Cameroon en route to Lokoja, Kano and Maiduguri.”
In Niger State, NDLEA operatives patrolling the Mokwa–Jebba road on Wednesday, March 4, intercepted a commercial bus coming from Ibadan in Oyo State. Officers discovered 500 pieces of improvised explosive device components hidden in a white sack meant for delivery to a recipient in Pelegi.
A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the intended recipient, Osama Abdullahi, 21, at Pelegi in Mashegu Local Government Area.
In Yola, Adamawa State, NDLEA operatives recovered 122,000 tramadol pills and 700 grams of methamphetamine concealed in the false bottom of a truck loaded with 2,000 cartons of local drinks. The truck bore the registration number ENU 645XX.
Similarly, in Kano, a 20-year-old suspect, Muhammed Ali, was arrested at Gadar Tamburawa on Tuesday, March 3, with 11,283 pills of tramadol.
In Ogun State, NDLEA operatives raided Ogere community, arresting two suspects Nazifi Mudansir and Kabiru Musa, who were found with 46 kilograms of skunk.
Meanwhile, in Delta State, two suspects, Joy Chukwuma, 25, and Eugene Felix, 22, were arrested on Saturday, March 7, in Ogwashi-Uku. Authorities recovered 18.63kg of skunk, 10.8 litres of codeine-based syrup, and 4,268 pills of tramadol and swinol from them.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives arrested a 48-year-old suspect, Eke London, and his accomplice, Austin Isusi, 49, at Egbisi forest in Uhumwonde Local Government Area. During the operation, officers destroyed 1,910.25kg of skunk found on two farms.
Another suspect, Alaba Adeboye, 47, was also apprehended in Ikhin town, Owan East Local Government Area, with 176.50kg of skunk.
The agency also continued its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaign across schools, workplaces, religious centres, and communities nationwide.
Some of the recent enlightenment lectures were held at Government Senior College, Apata in Ibadan; Government Girls Secondary School, Katcha in Niger State; Government Girls Day Secondary School, Tsafe in Zamfara; Sango Junior Secondary School in Agege, Lagos; Government Day Secondary School, Illela in Sokoto; Archbishop Akinola International Secondary School, Afikpo in Ebonyi; and Nnamdi Azikiwe Secondary School, Abagana in Anambra State.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers of the Lagos, FCT, Kano, Niger, Kogi, Edo, Ogun, Delta, Adamawa and Edo commands for their efforts in the arrests and seizures.
He also urged them to remain committed to the agency’s balanced strategy in tackling drug abuse and trafficking nationwide.
