A 300-level student of Ambrose Alli University, AAU, Ekpoma, Miss Esther Abumere, has been arrested by the Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for allegedly selling illicit drugs.

The State Commander of NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyefu, disclosed this on Monday at a press briefing as part of activities in commemoration of the 2025 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Benin City.

Ofoyeju said the 28-year –old student was arrested on June 19, 2025, at a supermarket in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area, where assorted drugs were being sold.

According to him, the suspect who hailed from Uromi in Esan North-East Local Government Area claimed that she ventured into illicit drugs peddling to offset the loan collected from a microfinance bank.

He said the supermarket has been sealed off, which he noted is a positive development in a university environment with a teeming youth population.

The state NDLEA commander opined that the arrest of the 300-level female student is a strong warning to drug barons notwithstanding the disguise, assuring that they would be smoked out.

He listed the drugs recovered from the supermarket to include Colorado, Canadian loud, tramadol, swinol, rohypnol and molly.

In an interview, the suspect said she was arrested at about 5:00 pm inside the supermarket by the operatives of the agency.

Ofoyefu, however, called for the collaboration of members of the public in the fight against trafficking in illicit drugs by providing credible information on drug-related activities to the agency.

He commended the efforts of the personnel of the command for their commitment and bravery for the achievements so far recorded.