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 masterminding multiple shipments of illicit drugs into Nigeria.

Olasele, also known as Abbas Ajakaiye, was apprehended on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at his church in Okun Ajah, Lekki, Lagos. NDLEA operatives reportedly laid siege to the premises from morning and moved in after the conclusion of the evening worship service.

According to the agency, the cleric had been on the run for months, evading arrest twice before fleeing to Ghana. His arrest follows the seizure of two separate shipments of “Ghana Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, linked to him. The first, weighing 200kg, was intercepted on June 4, 2025, at Okun Ajah beach, while the second, a 700kg consignment, was recovered from his delivery van on July 6.

In his confessional statement, Olasele admitted to ferrying the illicit consignments via waterways from Ghana into Nigeria.

The NDLEA also announced a string of successful operations across the country in the past week:

Lagos: On August 7, operatives raided an apartment in Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, arresting one Benjamin Udo Ukoh and seizing 15.63kg of Canadian Loud.

Nasarawa: On August 9, three suspects — Emmanuel Asoquo Johnny (51), Okem Raphael (33), and Chekwube Odo (25) — were arrested with 3,093kg of skunk in New Karu.

Kano: Between August 6 and 8, four suspects were arrested with a combined total of 368kg of cannabis, 20,000 tramadol pills, and 200 ampoules of diazepam.

Gombe: On August 8 and 9, over 550,000 opioid pills, mainly tramadol, were recovered in separate operations, with two suspects arrested.

Edo: On August 6, a bus travelling from Onitsha to Kogi was intercepted at Ewu junction, yielding over 23,000 tramadol capsules, other opioids, and injection drugs.

In addition to enforcement, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation programmes in schools, religious centres, military formations, and communities across Oyo, Kano, Yobe, Benue, Ekiti, and Anambra States.

Commending the Lagos, Nasarawa, Gombe, Kano, and Edo Commands, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), urged officers nationwide to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control, combining arrests and seizures with public education.