NDLEA arrests Lagos drug queen, busts multiple drug syndicates across Nigeria

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a 61-year-old Lagos socialite and alleged drug queenpin, Alhaja Aishat Feyisara Ajoke Elediye, widely known as “Iya Ruka.”

The arrest, made on Wednesday, January 1, 2025, at her luxurious mansion in the Okota area of Lagos, follows the interception of a massive drug consignment linked to her operations.

According to a statement issued by NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi on Sunday, the arrest was part of a coordinated operation targeting her drug cartel, which has been active in Mushin, Lagos.

“The arrest followed the interception of a truck driven by her employee, 41-year-old Abideen Adio, carrying 1,540 kilograms of imported cannabis concealed in 44 jumbo sacks,” the statement read.

Known publicly as a fabric and shoe importer, Alhaja Ajoke had been on the NDLEA’s wanted list for years due to her alleged leadership of a notorious drug network.

In a separate operation, NDLEA officers in Kwara State arrested two young women on December 29, 2024, for producing and distributing drug-laced cupcakes.

The suspects, 24-year-old graduate Khadijat Abdulraheem and 20-year-old University of Ilorin student Ayomide Morakinyo, were apprehended at their apartment near the university.

Forty-two drug-laced cupcakes were recovered during the raid, raising concerns about the growing trend of disguising narcotics in consumables targeting unsuspecting consumers.

The NDLEA’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Strategic Command also dismantled a passport racketeering syndicate led by ex-convict Sodade Sunday Eniola.

Eniola, previously fined N750,000 for drug trafficking in June 2024, was arrested for concealing 52 international passports within shipments bound for Canada, Russia, and other countries. The passports were hidden inside shoe soles and food items.

READ ALSO: NDLEA arrests 1,345 suspects in 2024 in Kano

Four additional suspects linked to the syndicate have also been arrested, and investigations are ongoing to uncover the full extent of the operation.

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On December 31, 2024, NDLEA operatives, in collaboration with Customs and other agencies, seized 316,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup from two containers at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex.

The same day in Kano, agents raided the Mafarki area of Dala Local Government, recovering 149,090 pills of tramadol and exol-5 from a local dealer, 45-year-old Ismail Muhammad.

The NDLEA continues to expand its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, conducting sensitization programs in communities, schools, and religious centers nationwide, including Ekiti and Jigawa states.

NDLEA Chairman/CEO Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) lauded the agency’s officers for their relentless efforts in tackling drug trafficking and abuse. “Our balanced approach to reducing both drug supply and demand is yielding significant results,” Marwa stated.

The NDLEA’s recent successes highlight the ongoing challenges of combating drug trafficking in Nigeria and underscore the agency’s commitment to dismantling drug networks and protecting communities from the devastating effects of substance abuse.