A prominent Lagos socialite and Nollywood filmmaker have been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in a major crackdown on drug trafficking as the New Year begins.
On New Year’s Day, NDLEA operatives raided the residence of 61-year-old Aishat Elediye, known for her lavish lifestyle, and apprehended her following the interception of a truck containing a staggering 1,540 kilograms of imported cannabis. The vehicle, driven by her employee Abideen Adio, was seized in Lagos.
Elediye, also referred to as “Iya Ruka,” had been evading law enforcement for years and was allegedly the leader of a drug cartel operating out of Mushin, Lagos. The operation that led to her arrest was executed based on credible intelligence gathered by the agency.
According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, Elediye appeared to be a legitimate businesswoman involved in the importation of fabrics and shoes from China but was deeply entrenched in the illicit drug trade. She is also recognized as a prominent member of an influential women’s club in Lagos.
In a separate operation, NDLEA agents arrested motivational speaker and filmmaker Emeka Mbadiwe at a Lekki hotel. His arrest followed that of his associate, Uzoekwe Ugochukwu James, who was apprehended while attempting to collect a shipment of cannabis parcels.
NDLEA operatives also made headlines with the arrest of Khadijat Abdulraheem and Ayomide Morakinyo in Ilorin for manufacturing drug-laced cupcakes intended for local students. A search of their residence yielded 42 drug-infused cakes.
In another noteworthy operation, ex-convict Sodade Eniola was rearrested for passport racketeering shortly after being released from prison for drug trafficking. Authorities discovered he was part of a syndicate smuggling passports concealed within various items.
Additionally, on December 31, 2024, the NDLEA, in collaboration with Customs officers, intercepted over 316,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup in Port Harcourt. The agency also recovered over 149,090 pills of tramadol and exol-5 during a raid in Kano, emphasizing its ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking across the nation.
