By Dansu Peter Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have commenced the new year with a significant breakthrough, ...
By Dansu Peter
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have commenced the new year with a significant breakthrough, arresting a high-profile drug kingpin and Lagos socialite, Alhaja Aishat Feyisara Ajoke Elediye, popularly known as “Iya Ruka.” The 61-year-old was apprehended on January 1, 2025, at her mansion on 33 Adebayo Oyewole Street, off Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos.
A statement by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, revealed that the operation followed the interception of a truckload of illicit drugs linked to Elediye earlier that day. The truck, a white Zuza vehicle, was stopped while carrying 44 jumbo sacks containing 1,540 kilograms of imported cannabis. The consignment was driven by one of her staff members, 41-year-old Abideen Adio.
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| Aishat Feyisara Ajoke Elediye and Accomplice in NDLEA Custody |
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Elediye, who has evaded authorities for years, was a key figure on the NDLEA's wanted list for her leadership role in a drug cartel operating from the Mushin area of Lagos. Despite her public image as a successful businesswoman importing fabrics and shoes from China, the NDLEA uncovered her involvement in a massive illicit drug trade. She is also known as the "Iyalaje" of Blessing Sisters, a prominent club of influential Lagos society women.
Earlier Operation Targets Nollywood Filmmaker
In a related development, NDLEA operatives arrested a US-trained filmmaker and motivational speaker, Emeka Emmanuel Mbadiwe, on December 27, 2024, at a hotel in Lekki. His arrest followed the apprehension of his associate, Uzoekwe Ugochukwu James, at a warehouse in Ajao Estate, Ikeja. James was caught retrieving a shipment of 33 parcels of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis weighing 17.30 kilograms. The consignment had arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, on December 24, 2024, aboard a Delta Airlines flight from the United States. The drugs were concealed in large wooden boxes.
The NDLEA has reiterated its commitment to dismantling drug cartels and bringing perpetrators to justice in its ongoing war against drug trafficking.
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