Michael Olugbode in Abuja

A drug kingpin, who had been on a manhunt for three years, has been apprehended by operatives of the anti-narcotics agency.

The spokesman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Femi Babafemi, in a statement yesterday said three years after launching a manhunt for him over drug trafficking offences, a notorious drug kingpin, 36-year-old Sunday Ibigide, has been arrested by operatives of the agency in Asaba, Delta State, while attempting to move 250 blocks of skunk weighing 138 kilogrammes with his distribution bus.

He said Ibigide came under the searchlight on March 19, 2022, in connection with the seizure of 24.137 kilogrammes of the same psychoactive substance and 10 grammes of molly, but thereafter went underground.

Babafemi said, however, following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives in Delta State were able to arrest him with one of his aides, Clement Osuya, 27, while they were trying to move the 250 parcels of skunk for distribution on August 10, 2025.

In another clampdown, the agency spokesman said no fewer than six suspects were arrested last Thursday and Friday when NDLEA operatives supported by the military and vigilantes raided three cannabis farms in Enugu Ezike, Enugu State. 

Where a total of 37,500 kilograms of skunk was destroyed on 15 hectares of farmland.

He disclosed that those arrested included Ugwuanyi Chinaso, 23; James Negedu, 26; Sopuruchukwu Obido, 22; Ebuka Onu, 30; Ukwueze Sunday, 42; and Oguche Friday, while 74.5 kilogrammes of the illicit substance was recovered for the prosecution of the suspects.

Babafemi said while 20,700 pills of tramadol and cocodamol were seized from a suspect, Emmanuel Ayogu, 53, by NDLEA officers on patrol on Nsukka road, 9th Mile, Enugu, last  Saturday, two other suspects, Nsubechukwu Achidde, 24, and  Osiaja Simple Frank, 41,  were arrested with 27.6 kilogrammes of skunk the same day at the new market, Enugu.

In Lagos State, a 52-year-old woman, Muyibat Mumuni, was arrested with her son Faruk Mumuni, 25, by NDLEA operatives at Ladega Street, Mushin, last Wednesday for storing and distributing 298 blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 149 kilogrammes while another suspect, Emmanuel Samuel, was nabbed last Friday in Ajah area of Lagos where 8.5 kilogrammes Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis was recovered from their apartment..

He revealed that not less than 128,000 capsules of tramadol were recovered from a suspect,, Sani Mohammed, 32, who was arrested by NDLEA officers at Jauro Jatau, Gombe, Gombe state,,lastr Monday, while a total of 337,800 capsules of the same pharmaceutical opioid were seized by operatives on patrol along Okene-Lokoja highway, Kogi state, from the driver of a commercial bus, Sulaiman Oyedokun, 47, coming from Onitsha, Anambra state and heading to Kotangora, Niger State.

Babafemi said that while a total of 11,250 kilogrammes of skunk was destroyed on 4.5 hectares of farmland last Tuesday when NDLEA operatives,, assisted by Sardauna Emirate Council and the Nigeria Forest Hunters Security Service,, raided the Tanmiya forest in Sardauna local government area, Taraba state, 29,840 capsules of tramadol were seized from a suspect, Saleh Babangida, 20, at a checkpointin Wukari area of the state on Saturday.

In Kaduna State, two suspects, Mohammed Amdife, 46, and Sulaiman Mohammed, 22, were arrested in connection with the seizure of 22,640 pills of tramadol and rohypnol at Gwargwaje checkpoint, Zaria,, and Tudun Wada area of the state. Two other suspects: Caroline David, 51, and Abdulhadi Umar, 30, were nabbed over the seizure of 111.1 kilogrammes of skunk intercepted along Zaria- Kano road.

He said at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State, a total of 875,000 bottles of codeine based syrup worth over N6.1billion in street value and 3.5 million pills of trodol benzhexol valued at N1.7 billion were recovered from five containers under NDLEA intelligence tracking and watch-list during joint examination with Customs Service and other security agencies last Wednesday and Thursday at the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) of the Onne port.

In Edo State, NDLEA operatives last Wednesday recovered 24 bags of skunk weighing 432 kilogrammes in a bush along Warake-Auchi road in Etsako West Local Government Area, while 130 kilogrammes of the same substance was seized at a warehouse in Sobe, Owan West LGA the following day.

Babafemi said a suspect,, Tahiru Manga, 25, was nabbed by NDLEA officers along Zaria-Kano road, with 16 kilogrammes of skunk, and another suspect, Ibrahim Audu, 47, arrested with 76 kilogrammes of the same psychoactive substance at Gadar Tamburawa ON Zaria-Kano road, Kano State,, last Wednesday.

He also said no fewer than 4,320 ampoules of ketamine injection were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at Gbaji checkpoint along Badagry-Lagos highway last Monday,, with a suspect,, Akeem Adegun arrested.

Babafemi said in like manner, command and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities to schools, worship centres, workplaces,, and communities, among others,, in the past week.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), while commending the officers and men of PHPC, Gombe, Kogi, Lagos, Edo, Kano, Delta, Taraba, and Seme Commands for the arrests and seizures, enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to drug control efforts of the agency.

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