The arrest of Alhaja Aishat Feyisara Elediye, a prominent Lagos socialite, has brought fresh attention to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s (NDLEA) fight against drug trafficking. On January 1, 2025, the agency apprehended the 61-year-old after intercepting a truck containing 44 jumbo sacks of imported cannabis.
Elediye, who is well-known in the social circles of Lagos, was arrested at her mansion in Okota following the capture of her employee, Abideen Adio, who had been driving the truck.
The NDLEA revealed in a statement on January 5 that Elediye is a significant figure in the drug cartel operating out of the Mushin area of Lagos. The agency also noted her position as the Iyalaje of Blessing Sisters, an influential club of Lagos women.
In the public eye, Elediye is seen as a businesswoman involved in fabric and shoe imports from China, but the NDLEA uncovered her involvement in a large-scale illicit drug operation. Known in social circles as Alhaja Ajoke and in the drug trade as Iya Ruka, she has maintained a dual identity that hides her criminal activities.
Elediye also promotes herself as a successful agripreneur, claiming involvement in the livestock and vegetable industries. She was even featured in a YouTube video in 2023, where she proudly declared, “I am Feyisara Elediye at Mushin bus stop…I am a farmer,” further earning her the moniker of a “celebrity farmer.”
Her arrest came just a month after she hosted a lavish birthday celebration, raising questions about the stark contrast between her public persona and her illicit dealings.
