The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested Prophet Adefolusho Aanu Olasele, also known as Abbas Ajakaiye, the General Overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, for allegedly masterminding multiple drug shipments from Ghana into Nigeria.
He was arrested on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at his church located along Ogombo Road in the Lekki area of Lagos. According to the NDLEA, operatives waited for the pastor to conclude his service before apprehending him.
Prophet Adefolusho had reportedly fled to Ghana in June to evade arrest after two large shipments of “Ghana Loud” — a potent strain of cannabis was traced to him. The NDLEA had earlier seized 200kg of the substance at Okun Ajah Beach on June 4 and another 700kg from a delivery van on July 6.
In his confession, he admitted to smuggling the drugs into Nigeria via waterways and hiding in Ghana after escaping arrest on two occasions.
The arrest came as part of a wider nationwide operation by the NDLEA, which also saw several other drug traffickers arrested and large quantities of illegal drugs recovered in various states.
In Lagos, one Benjamin Udo Ukoh was arrested in Ikoyi with 15.63kg of Canadian Loud. In Nasarawa, 3,093kg of cannabis was recovered from three suspects in New Karu. In Kano, multiple operations led to the seizure of 359kg of cannabis, 20,000 tramadol pills, and other controlled substances.
Gombe State also witnessed a major bust, where over 550,000 tramadol pills were recovered from an uncompleted building in Pantami. Another 50,000 capsules were intercepted along the Potiskum road.
In Edo, a commercial bus heading to Kogi was stopped at Ewu Junction, and NDLEA officers found over 25,000 capsules and tablets of tramadol, along with injection vials.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, visiting schools, military bases, and other institutions across Nigeria to raise awareness about the dangers of drug use.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers involved in the latest operations and encouraged them to sustain their efforts in curbing drug trafficking and abuse nationwide.
