NDLEA cracks major drug ring, arrests long-wanted suspect

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a notorious drug trafficking suspect, Reginald Peter Chidiebere, who had been on the run for 13 years after jumping bail.

The agency said Chidiebere was taken into custody following fresh investigations linking him to large consignments of cocaine and heroin intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.

In a statement on Sunday, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed that the suspect was initially arrested in 2013 over cocaine trafficking and arraigned before Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court, Lagos, in charge number FHC/L/187c/2923. He, however, jumped bail the same year and went into hiding.

Babafemi revealed that in February 2024, Chidiebere resurfaced as one of the masterminds behind a 49.70kg heroin shipment imported from South Africa, which was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport’s import shed.

A follow-up operation on February 19, 2024, at his Golden Platinum Hotel & Suites in Okota, Lagos, led to the recovery of an additional 2.20kg of heroin from one of his guests, identified as Igbuanugo Ebuka ThankGod. Following the operation, the suspect again went underground.

The agency subsequently secured an interim forfeiture of the hotel and froze bank accounts traced to him.

“Unable to sustain himself in hiding, Chidiebere surrendered to the agency on February 13, 2026, and has since been taken into custody to face his pending 2013 charges as well as fresh charges linked to the 2024 heroin consignments,” Babafemi stated.

Other Major Arrests Across the Country

In Imo State, NDLEA operatives on February 25, 2026, dismantled a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Isiozi Obiato, Umuaka, Njaba LGA, recovering 18.4kg of methamphetamine along with precursor chemicals and production equipment.

At the Seme border in Badagry, Lagos, officers intercepted a Togolese woman, Hadiza Musa, who concealed 5,000 tramadol pills in her luggage. Operatives also recovered 1,040kg of skunk from an uncompleted building in Akodo village, Eleko, Ibeju-Lekki.

In Kano State, a suspect, Ashiru Bala, 45, was arrested with 1,499 bottles of codeine syrup at Lambu, Tafa LGA. Similarly, Yahaya Usaini, 21, was apprehended in Katsina State with 87.4kg of skunk along the Zaria-Dutsinma road.

In Osun State, two suspects were arrested in Osogbo in connection with the seizure of 18.085kg of skunk. In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives intercepted 637,600 opioid pills concealed in a Mercedes-Benz vehicle along the Bali–Suntai road, while another suspect was arrested at Lankaviri Yorro with 126.022kg of skunk.

Further seizures included 499.2kg of skunk recovered in Dei-Dei, Abuja, and 7,000 capsules of tramadol intercepted along the Bama–Konduga road in Borno State.

Commending officers across the MMIA, Seme, Lagos, Imo, Borno, Kano, Katsina, Taraba, Osun, and FCT Commands, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised their commitment to drug supply and demand reduction efforts.

Reacting to Chidiebere’s arrest after over a decade on the run, Marwa reiterated the agency’s resolve to dismantle criminal networks and bring offenders to justice.

“I commend our officers and men for their persistence and professionalism in this operation,” he said.