A Lagos-based pastor who once preached mercy now faces the full weight of the law after NDLEA operatives linked him to a billion-naira cross-border cannabis racket. His arrest follows months on the run, dramatic seizures, and a sting operation straight out of a crime thriller.
By The Merit Newspaper (Online)
LAGOS — In a dramatic Sunday evening raid, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested Prophet Adefolusho Aanu Olasele, the General Overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, for allegedly masterminding a multi-billion-naira cannabis trafficking network.
Olasele, also known as Abbas Ajakaiye, was picked up at his church on Ogombo Road, Okun Ajah, Lekki, on August 3, 2025, moments after rounding off his Sunday service. NDLEA officers had waited quietly outside since morning before swooping in.
The suspect had been on the run for months after twice evading arrest and fleeing to Ghana in June. His arrest follows two major busts linked to him:
200kg of Ghana Loud seized at Okun Ajah Beach on June 4.
700kg of the same strain recovered from his delivery van on July 6.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi confirmed that Olasele confessed to transporting the drugs via waterways from Ghana.
“He admitted fleeing to Ghana to avoid capture after escaping arrest on two earlier occasions,” Babafemi said.
Authorities described the operation as the climax of weeks of intelligence gathering aimed at dismantling a coastal trafficking network between Ghana and Nigeria.
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“This arrest sends a clear message: no one, no matter their title, is above the law,” Babafemi declared.
Shockwaves have rippled through the Lekki community, where Olasele was known more for preaching than for peddling drugs.
He remains in NDLEA custody and is expected to face charges once investigations conclude.
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“Ghana Loud” – The Smugglers’ Gold
What is it?
A high-grade strain of cannabis grown in Ghana, prized for its high THC content and potent psychoactive effects.
Street Value:
Up to N1.5 million per kilogram in Lagos’ black market.
Why Coastal Routes?
Smugglers use fishing boats and speedboats along the Gulf of Guinea to bypass border security, exploiting weak patrol coverage.
