NDLEA Ends 12-Year Manhunt with Arrest of Notorious Drug Kingpin ‘Kanmo-Kanmo’

After more than a decade on the run, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a notorious drug kingpin, Lekan Jimoh, popularly known as “Kanmo-Kanmo,” bringing closure to a 12-year manhunt linked to the murder of three NDLEA officers. The arrest marks a major milestone in Nigeria’s fight against drug trafficking and violent criminal networks.

Kanmo-Kanmo was apprehended on Friday, 16 January 2026, at his hideout in Owode town, Ogun State, following weeks of intelligence-driven surveillance by NDLEA tactical teams. During the operation, officers recovered 69 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, from his possession. The Agency described the arrest as a decisive signal that fugitives, regardless of how long they evade justice, remain accountable to the law.

The suspect had long been known for drug trafficking, violent resistance to law enforcement, and the use of armed thugs to obstruct arrests. His capture, according to NDLEA officials, demonstrates the Agency’s sustained commitment to accountability and justice for fallen officers.

A Violent Past and a Long Trail of Crime

Lekan Jimoh’s criminal history is marked by extreme violence. On 15 June 2014, he allegedly orchestrated a mob attack against NDLEA operatives who attempted to arrest him at his enclave. The attack resulted in the killing of three officers, including Rabiu Usman Kazaure, who were overpowered by armed thugs mobilised by Jimoh.

Although he escaped at the time, the incident remained a defining moment for the Agency. NDLEA leadership maintained that the pursuit of Jimoh never ceased, viewing the case as both a criminal investigation and a moral obligation to the families of the slain officers.

In a later operation on 12 August 2023, NDLEA operatives stormed Jimoh’s residence in Ado-Odo, Ogun State. While he again evaded arrest, officers recovered 139 sacks of skunk weighing 1,922 kilograms. The property, used as a warehouse for illicit drugs, was later forfeited to the Federal Government following court-approved asset forfeiture proceedings.

Nationwide Raids Expose Expansive Drug Operations

Beyond the arrest of Kanmo-Kanmo, NDLEA operatives recorded multiple successes across the country within the same period. In Edo State, officers raided the Arokpa forest in Uzebba town, Owan West Local Government Area, arresting a 53-year-old drug suspect, Isihor Edika, and seizing 320 kilograms of skunk and cannabis seeds.

In the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, operatives arrested a 44-year-old woman, Yinka Agboola, accused of selling illicit drugs online. Recovered from her Kaura District residence were 2.2 kilograms of skunk and several litres of cannabis oil allegedly produced in her kitchen. Another suspect, Tordue Pius Richard, was also arrested in Abuja with quantities of cocaine and skunk.

Major seizures were equally recorded in Lagos, Enugu, Delta, Oyo, Kwara and Jigawa states. These included hundreds of kilograms of skunk, large consignments of tramadol, codeine syrup, diazepam, Molly and other controlled substances. At the Apapa port in Lagos, a joint operation by NDLEA, Customs and other security agencies uncovered 157,519 bottles of codeine syrup concealed in a container. An ex-convict, Gaddafi Ammani, was also arrested in Jigawa after a violent attempt to evade capture, during which he injured an NDLEA officer.

NDLEA Leadership Reacts and Sustains Public Engagement

Commending the officers involved in the operations, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised their professionalism and resolve. He urged personnel nationwide to sustain the Agency’s balanced approach of enforcement and prevention.

Marwa described the arrest of Kanmo-Kanmo as a “triumph of justice” and a reminder that time does not erase crime. He noted that the arrest carries deep emotional significance for the families of the officers killed in 2014, reaffirming that the Agency does not forget its own.

Alongside enforcement, NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation programmes across schools, religious centres and communities nationwide, reinforcing its preventive strategy against substance abuse.