Anambra police arrest a man accused of hiding a cannabis farm while pretending to be mentally unstable.
Officers uncovered the secret site during patrol, seizing large quantities cultivated for over two years.
The Anambra State Police Command has apprehended a 43-year-old man, Patrick Ojele, for allegedly running a concealed cannabis farm in Awka while posing as a mentally unstable individual to avoid suspicion.
The command explained that its operatives attached to the Operations Department in Awka intercepted Ojele on 17 September 2025 during a routine patrol along the Awka–Enugu Expressway near Ngozika Estate. Following questioning, the suspect reportedly led officers to a hidden cultivation site where large quantities of plants suspected to be cannabis sativa were recovered after being cultivated for more than two years.
Commissioner of Police Ikioye Orutugu said the arrest showcases the command’s new approach to tackling drug trafficking and violent crime. According to him, disrupting the supply chain of illegal substances is a critical step in weakening the networks that sustain cult groups and other violent offenders in the state.
Orutugu further directed that the suspect be transferred to the Special Anti-Cultism Squad (SPACS) in Enugwu-Ukwu for deeper investigation. The goal, he said, is to identify Ojele’s possible buyers, trace the flow of illicit substances and dismantle any connected distribution rings operating within and beyond the state.
In a statement issued on 18 September 2025, police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga reaffirmed the command’s commitment to maintaining public safety and urged residents to report suspicious activities to security agencies promptly.
