NDLEA Arrests Fugitive Cleric for Alleged Drug Trafficking After Months on the Run

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested Prophet Adefolusho Aanu Olasele, founder and General Overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, for allegedly masterminding multiple shipments of illicit drugs into Nigeria. Known by the alias Abbas Ajakaiye, the cleric was apprehended on Sunday, 3rd August 2025, at his church in Okun Ajah, along Ogombo Road, Lekki, Lagos.

In a statement issued by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, operatives trailed Olasele for months before moving in on him. Officers reportedly waited outside the church from morning until the end of the Sunday worship service in the evening, arresting him the moment he stepped out.

Ogun Government Denies Political Motive In Planned Demolition Of Gbenga Daniel’s Properties

Months of Evasion and Cross-Border Flight

The NDLEA revealed that Olasele had twice evaded arrest before fleeing to Ghana in June 2025. His flight came after operatives linked him to two major seizures of “Ghana Loud” — a potent strain of cannabis. The first consignment, weighing 200kg, was intercepted at Okun Ajah beach on 4th June, while the second, a much larger 700kg load, was recovered from his delivery van on 6th July.

During interrogation, Olasele admitted to smuggling the consignments from Ghana into Nigeria via waterways. He confessed to fleeing across the border to hide after narrowly escaping NDLEA raids on two separate occasions.

NDLEA’s Wider Crackdown on Drug Trafficking

The agency’s statement also detailed other major operations across the country between 6th and 9th August 2025.

In Lagos, operatives on 7th August raided an apartment in Kishi House, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, arresting a suspect, Benjamin Udo Ukoh. The search yielded 32 pouches of Canadian Loud cannabis weighing 15.63kg.

In Nasarawa State, a major haul of 3,093kg of skunk — another strain of cannabis — was recovered on 9th August from three suspects: Emmanuel Asoquo Johnny (51), Okem Raphael (33), and Chekwube Odo (25) in the New Karu area.

In Kano, NDLEA officers arrested 29-year-old Nura Yahaya on 8th August at Geza, Kumbotso LGA, with 639 blocks of skunk weighing 359kg. Two days earlier, on 6th August, 27-year-old Umar Adamu Umar was caught along the Zaria-Kano road with 9kg of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis strain. In another Kano operation on 8th August, officers intercepted 20,000 tramadol pills and 200 ampoules of diazepam injection from suspect Usman Musa, 30.

Major Seizures in Gombe and Edo

On 8th August in Gombe, a raid on an uncompleted building in Tudun Wadan Pantami led to the discovery of 550,266 opioid pills, mainly tramadol, and the arrest of suspect Usama Isah. The following day, along Potiskum Road, Bajoga, officers apprehended 23-year-old Ibrahim Adamu with 50,000 capsules of tramadol.

In Edo State, on 6th August, operatives intercepted a white Toyota Hiace bus with registration YAB 5522 K at Ewu Junction. The vehicle, travelling from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Isanlu, Kogi State, was found to contain 23,940 tramadol capsules, 1,100 tablets of the same drug, and 400 ampoules of pentazocine injection. The driver, identified as Taiye Jethro, was arrested.

Expanding WADA Sensitization Efforts

Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaign across multiple states. Activities included educational lectures at Mind City College in Saki, Oyo State; Gwagwarwa Primary School in Nasarawa LGA, Kano State; and to officers of the Nigerian Army’s 241 Recce Model Battalion in Nguru, Yobe State.

The campaign also reached members of the Engine Grinders Association in Gboko, Benue State, while NDLEA’s Ekiti Command visited the Nigerian Correctional Service in Ado Ekiti for advocacy. Similarly, the Anambra State Command paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.

NDLEA Leadership Commends Officers

Chairman and Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the officers and men of the Lagos, Nasarawa, Gombe, Kano, and Edo Commands for their arrests, seizures, and professionalism. He encouraged them, along with other commands nationwide, to sustain a balanced approach in the agency’s drug control efforts — combining rigorous enforcement with preventive advocacy.

A High-Profile Case in Nigeria’s Drug War

The arrest of Prophet Olasele marks one of the more high-profile apprehensions in recent NDLEA operations, given his status as a religious leader. The case highlights the agency’s continued pursuit of suspected traffickers regardless of social standing or public image.

Olasele’s capture also underscores NDLEA’s cross-border intelligence network, as the cleric’s movements from Nigeria to Ghana and back were closely monitored. His eventual arrest at his own church suggests a patient, targeted strategy by operatives to avoid confrontation within a place of worship and ensure the safety of congregants.

From Lagos to Nasarawa, Gombe, Kano, and Edo, the NDLEA’s August operations have yielded significant drug seizures and arrests, reflecting the agency’s nationwide scope in tackling narcotics trafficking. While investigations into Prophet Olasele’s case continue, the NDLEA maintains that no individual — regardless of public profile — is above the law.

As the agency intensifies both enforcement and preventive measures under its WADA initiative, the message from Brig. Gen. Marwa remains clear: Nigeria’s drug war will be fought on all fronts, with equal focus on dismantling supply networks and curbing demand through public education.