Wanted Lagos female drug kingpin Ajoke smashed for huge illicit drug shipments

In a high-stakes operation that marked a fiery start to the new year, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) apprehended a notorious Lagos socialite and drug kingpin, Alhaja Aishat Feyisara Ajoke Elediye.

She was arrested in a raid on her opulent mansion in Okota, Lagos.

NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, said the 61-year-old, known in the criminal underworld as “Iya Ruka,” was taken into custody on January 1, 2025, after her staff was caught with a truckload of illicit drugs.

He said the takedown began with the interception of a white Isuzu truck, packed with 44 jumbo sacks containing 1,540 kilograms of imported cannabis, driven by her 41-year-old associate, Abideen Adio.

Acting on this lead, NDLEA operatives stormed her residence at 33 Adebayo Oyewole Street, off Ago Palace Way, uncovering the hidden identity of the seemingly untouchable queenpin who had evaded justice for years.

In public, Alhaja Ajoke cultivated the image of a successful importer of fabrics and shoes from China, holding the prestigious title of “Iyalaje” in the influential Blessing Sisters social club.

But beneath this facade lay a sprawling drug empire operating from Mushin, Lagos, that had eluded law enforcement until now.

The NDLEA also exposed another sordid chapter in its battle against crime with the arrest of an ex-convict, Sodade Sunday Eniola.

Previously jailed in June 2024 for drug trafficking and freed after paying a N750,000 fine, Sodade was rearrested for passport racketeering.

Investigations revealed that NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport’s export shed intercepted 52 passports hidden in shoe soles and food items, destined for Canada, Russia, and other countries.

The crackdown on the passport syndicates led to the arrest of four suspects connected to three organised networks, signalling NDLEA’s relentless pursuit of justice.