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 orchestrating multiple shipments of illicit drugs into Nigeria from Ghana.

According to NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, the church leader, also known as Abbas Ajakaiye, was apprehended on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at his church premises in Okun Ajah, Ogombo Road, Lekki area of Lagos. Operatives strategically waited for the Sunday worship service to conclude before making the arrest as he exited the building.

The arrest follows months of investigation after Prophet Adefolusho evaded capture twice and fled to Ghana in June. The NDLEA had been tracking him following the seizure of two significant shipments of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis linked to his operations.

The first interception occurred on June 4, 2025, when authorities seized 200kg of the psychoactive substance at Okun Ajah beach. A second, larger consignment of 700kg was recovered from his delivery van on July 6, 2025.

In his statement to authorities, the suspect admitted to transporting the illicit substances through waterways from Ghana into Nigeria and confirmed he had fled to the West African country to evade arrest.

Other Major Drug Busts Across Nigeria

In a separate Lagos operation on August 7, NDLEA officers raided an apartment at Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, arresting Benjamin Udo Ukoh and recovering 32 pouches of Canadian Loud cannabis weighing 15.63kg.

Nasarawa State saw a major bust on August 9, with authorities confiscating 3,093 kilograms of skunk cannabis from three suspects: Emmanuel Asoquo Johnny (51), Okem Raphael (33), and Chekwube Odo (25) in the New Karu area.

In Kano State, 29-year-old Nura Yahaya was arrested with 639 blocks of skunk weighing 359kg on August 8, while Umar Adamu Umar (27) was apprehended on August 6 with 9kg of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis strain. Another suspect, Usman Musa (30), was caught with 20,000 pills of tramadol and 200 ampoules of diazepam injection.

Gombe State operations yielded 550,266 pills of opioids, primarily tramadol, from an uncompleted building in Tudun Wadan Pantami on August 8, with suspect Usama Isah arrested. The following day, Ibrahim Adamu (23) was apprehended with 50,000 capsules of tramadol.

In Edo State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a Toyota Hiace bus on August 6, recovering 23,940 capsules of tramadol, 1,100 tablets of the same opioid, and 400 ampoules of pentazocine injection. Taiye Jethro was arrested in connection with this seizure.

NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers for their diligence and encouraged them to maintain the Agency's balanced approach to drug control efforts nationwide.

The Agency also continues its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities across schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities throughout Nigeria.

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