By Jide Francis
Society Page Editor
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended Prophet Adefolusho Aanu Olasele — also known as Abbas Ajakaiye — founder and General Overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, over his alleged involvement in large-scale drug trafficking between Ghana and Nigeria.
Olasele, who had evaded capture for months, was arrested on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at his church in Okun Ajah, Lekki, Lagos. NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, revealed that operatives strategically waited until the end of the Sunday service before moving in, taking him into custody the moment he stepped out of the church premises.
Months on the Run
According to Babafemi, the pastor fled to Ghana in June to avoid arrest after NDLEA operatives linked him to two major cannabis seizures:
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200kg recovered at Okun Ajah Beach on June 4, 2025.
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700kg found in a delivery van tied to him on July 6, 2025.
Both consignments were identified as Ghana Loud, a potent strain of cannabis. Olasele reportedly confessed to transporting the drugs through waterways from Ghana into Nigeria.
Nationwide Crackdown on Illicit Drugs
In a related development, NDLEA intensified its anti-drug operations across the country:
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Lagos: On Thursday, August 7, operatives raided an apartment in Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, arresting Benjamin Ukoh and seizing 32 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 15.63kg.
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Nasarawa State: On Saturday, August 9, officers recovered 3,093kg of skunk from three suspects in New Karu.
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Kano State: Between August 6 and 8, NDLEA intercepted multiple cannabis shipments, including 359kg of skunk from Nura Yahaya and 9kg of Colorado from Umar Adamu Umar.
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Gombe State: A raid on an uncompleted building yielded 550,266 opioid pills, while Ibrahim Adamu, 23, was arrested the next day with 50,000 capsules of tramadol.
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Edo State: A Toyota Hiace bus from Onitsha to Kogi was stopped at Ewu junction on August 6, with 23,940 tramadol capsules, other tablets, and injectable opioids. The driver, Taiye Jethro, was arrested.
NDLEA Vows Relentless Action
Commending his officers, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), urged them to sustain the momentum and adopt a balanced approach to combating drug crimes nationwide.
The arrest of Prophet Olasele — a man who once stood behind the pulpit but is now accused of running an international drug pipeline — marks another milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing war against illicit drugs.
