NDLEA Arrests Lagos Pastor for Alleged Cannabis Smuggling from Ghana

Oluwakemi Kindness

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says a Lagos-based pastor accused of masterminding large-scale cannabis shipments into Nigeria has been arrested after months on the run.

Prophet Adefolusho Aanu-Olasele, also known as Abbas Ajakaiye, founder of The Turn of Mercy Church, was detained on Sunday 3 August at his church in Okun Ajah, Lekki.

A statement on Sunday by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi says NDLEA operatives waited until the end of the evening service before moving in.

The 45-year-old cleric had twice evaded capture earlier this year and fled to Ghana following the seizure of two major consignments of “Ghana Loud” – a high-grade strain of cannabis – linked to him.

The agency said the first haul of 200kg was intercepted on 4 June at Okun Ajah beach, while another 700kg was recovered from his delivery van on 6 July.

Babafemi says in a statement after his arrest, Olasele admitted transporting the drugs via waterways from Ghana into Nigeria.

Also, the NDLEA reported further operations across the country last week, including:

*Lagos* – 15.63kg of Canadian Loud recovered from an apartment in Ikoyi; one suspect arrested.

*Nasarawa* – 3,093kg of skunk seized from three suspects in New Karu.

*Kano* – 359kg of skunk recovered from a 29-year-old man; another suspect caught with 9kg of Colorado; 20,000 tramadol pills and 200 diazepam injections seized from a separate suspect.

*Gombe* – Over 550,000 tramadol pills found in an uncompleted building; another suspect arrested with 50,000 capsules of tramadol.

*Edo* – Tramadol, pentazocine injections and other opioids recovered from a passenger bus; one suspect arrested.

According to the statement, NDLEA Chairman, retired Brigadier General, Mohamed Buba-Marwa, commended the Lagos, Nasarawa, Gombe, Kano and Edo commands for their “dexterity” and urges them to maintain a “balanced approach” to drug control.

The agency also continued its *War Against Drug Abuse* (WADA) campaign with sensitisation visits to schools, religious centres, workplaces and community groups across several states.