By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested and repatriated 52-year-old suspected drug kingpin who had been on the run for more than two years.
The suspect had been declared wanted after NDLEA operatives in February 2024 intercepted 49.70 kilograms of heroin at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos—the largest single heroin seizure recorded at the airport
He fled to Mozambique, where he allegedly operated a hotel as a front, and moved between Mozambique and Nigeria through Benin Republic to evade arrest.
Acting on intelligence and in collaboration with INTERPOL, he was arrested at the airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic, on September 2, 2026, and handed over to NDLEA operatives for a returned journey to Nigeria on September 4.
NDLEA says his wife was also among those arrested in connection with the syndicate, while 107 bank accounts and properties linked to the cartel were frozen or forfeited.
Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.), NDLEA Chairman describes the arrest as a major breakthrough, warning that all fleeing suspects will eventually be brought to justice.
