NDLEA Arrests Lagos Pastor for Alleged Cross-Border Drug Trafficking
By Joseph Iyaji
Lagos, Nigeria – 11 August 2025 – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended Prophet Adefolusho Aanu Olasele, also known as Abbas Ajakaiye, founder and General Overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, for allegedly orchestrating multiple shipments of illicit drugs from Ghana to Nigeria. The arrest, which took place on Sunday, 3 August 2025, at the church premises in Okun Ajah, Ogombo Road, Lekki, Lagos, marks a significant breakthrough in the agency’s efforts to curb cross-border drug trafficking.
According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, operatives waited until the conclusion of the Sunday worship service before arresting Olasele as he exited the church. The pastor had been on the run since June, having fled to Ghana after evading capture twice. His arrest follows the seizure of two cannabis consignments linked to him: 200 kilograms of “Ghana Loud” at Okun Ajah Beach on 4 June 2025, and 700 kilograms recovered from his delivery van on 6 July 2025. In a statement, Olasele admitted to transporting the illicit drugs via waterways from Ghana to Nigeria, confessing that he had sought refuge in Ghana to avoid arrest.
In a related operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives raided an apartment at Kishi House, 11 Layi Ajayi Bembe Street, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, on Thursday, 7 August, arresting Benjamin Udo Ukoh and recovering 32 pouches of “Canadian Loud” cannabis weighing 15.63 kilograms. In Nasarawa State, a large consignment of 3,093 kilograms of skunk cannabis was seized on Saturday, 9 August, from three suspects—Emmanuel Asoquo Johnny (51), Okem Raphael (33), and Chekwube Odo (25)—in New Karu.
Further operations across Nigeria yielded additional arrests and seizures. In Kano State, Nura Yahaya (29) was arrested on 8 August with 359 kilograms of skunk, while Umar Adamu Umar (27) was detained on 6 August with 9 kilograms of “Colorado,” a synthetic cannabis strain. Another Kano operation recovered 20,000 tramadol pills and 200 diazepam ampoules from Usman Musa (30) on 8 August. In Gombe State, raids on 8 and 9 August led to the seizure of over 550,000 opioid pills, mainly tramadol, and the arrests of Usama Isah and Ibrahim Adamu (23). In Edo State, a Toyota Hiace bus was intercepted on 6 August at Ewu Junction, recovering 23,940 tramadol capsules, 1,100 tablets, and 400 pentazocine ampoules, with Taiye Jethro arrested.
The NDLEA also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities, engaging schools, worship centres, and communities in Oyo, Kano, Yobe, Benue, Ekiti, and Anambra states over the past week. NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers for their diligence and urged sustained efforts in balancing enforcement with drug abuse prevention initiatives.
The arrest of Prophet Olasele and the ongoing nationwide operations underscore the NDLEA’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks, raising critical questions about the misuse of influential positions in such activities.
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