13 years after, wanted drug kingpin taken into NDLEA custody

Babafemi said in February 2024, the suspect’s name featured as one of the masterminds of the shipment of 49.70 kilograms heroin imported from South Africa which was seized by the agency’s operatives at the import shed of the Lagos airport.

The NDLEA spokesman said during a follow-up on February 19, 2024 at Chidiebere’s Golden Platinum Hotel & Suites, at No. 16/18 Reginald Peter Chidiebere Street, Hope Estate, Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos, an additional 2.20 kilograms of heroin was recovered from one of his guests, Igbuanugo Ebuka ThankGod.

“As a result, Chidiebere went underground. The agency, however, secured the interim forfeiture of his hotel and blocked his bank accounts traced to him.

“Following these developments, Chidiebere could no longer sustain himself in hiding, prompting his surrender to the agency on February 13, 2026 and has since been taken into custody to face his pending and fresh charges based on the 2024 heroin consignments linked to him,” Babafemi said.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd)  said the agency remains resolute in dismantling criminal networks and bringing offenders to justice. “I commend our officers and men for their persistence and professionalism in this operation,” he said.

Babafemi also said NDLEA operatives in Imo State on February 25, this year dismantled a clandestine laboratory tucked in Isiozi Obiato, Umuaka, Njaba Local Government Area of the state where 18.4 kilograms of methamphetamine were recovered with large quantity of precursor chemicals  and equipment used in the production of the illicit substance.

The statement added: “At the Seme border in Badagry, Lagos, NDLEA officers at the departure tarmac on Friday, February  27 intercepted a Togolese woman, Hadiza Musa, who concealed 5,000 pills of tramadol in her luggage, while a total of 1,040 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, were recovered from an uncompleted building at Akodo village, Seaside Eleko, along Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos by operatives on February 25.

“A suspect, Ashiru Bala, 45, was arrested with 1,499 bottles of codeine syrup at Lambu, Tafa Local Government Area, Kano State on February 25 while conveying the consignment in his Volkswagen Golf car marked CA 911 ABC. Another suspect Yahaya Usaini, 21, was nabbed on Friday, February 27 while transporting 87.4 kilograms of skunk in a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number KUJ 544 RL on Zaria-Dutsinma Road, Katsina State.

“In Osun, two suspects - Adewale Fatunmise, 40, and Adebisi Korede, 25 - were arrested by NDLEA operatives on Monday, February 23 in connection with the seizure of 18.085kg skunk at Aregbe, Osogbo, the state capital.”

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Babafemi said no fewer than 637,600 pills of opioids including tramadol, diazepam and exol-5 were recovered when NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Thursday intercepted a Mercedes-Benz vehicle marked KWL-607DC on Bali-Suntai Road while conveying the consignment to Baruwa in Gashaka Local Government Area, Taraba State.

He added that a similar interdiction operation at Lankaviri Yorro led to the arrest of Musa Usman, 27, and the seizure of 126.022kg skunk.

“While 499.2kg skunk was recovered at Dei -Dei area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Wednesday, February 25, a suspect, Bulama Modu, 24, was intercepted in a commercial vehicle conveying 7,000 capsules of tramadol on Bama -Konduga Road, Borno State on Tuesday, February 24,” he said.

  Marwa (rtd) also praised their counterparts in the commands for ensuring the war against drugs’ supply and demand continued.