The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a notorious drug kingpin, 36-year-old Sunday Ibigide, in Asaba, Delta State, three years after he was declared wanted for drug trafficking.
According to a statement by Mr. Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, Ibigide was caught while attempting to move 250 blocks of skunk weighing 138 kilograms in his distribution bus. The suspect, who had been on the run since March 2022, was arrested alongside his aide, Clement Osuya, 27, on Sunday, August 10, 2025.
The NDLEA said the arrest follows credible intelligence and is part of its intensified crackdown on drug cartels across Nigeria.
Massive Drug Seizures Across States
In a major joint operation supported by the military and local vigilantes, NDLEA operatives raided three large cannabis farms in Enugu Ezike, Enugu State, destroying 37,500 kilograms of skunk cultivated on 15 hectares of farmland. Six suspects were arrested during the raid.
In Lagos, operatives also arrested a 52-year-old woman, Muyibat Mumuni, and her son, Faruk Mumuni, for storing and distributing 149 kilograms of Ghana Loud in Mushin. Another suspect, Emmanuel Samuel, was nabbed in Ajah, Lekki, with 8.5 kilograms of Canadian Loud.
The NDLEA recorded further breakthroughs in Kogi, Gombe, Kaduna, and Taraba States, seizing hundreds of thousands of tramadol and cocodamol pills, along with large quantities of skunk and codeine-based syrup.
At the Onne Port Complex in Rivers State, NDLEA operatives tracked and intercepted 875,000 bottles of codeine syrup valued at over ₦6.1 billion, alongside 3.5 million pills of trodol benzhexol worth ₦1.7 billion. The interception followed weeks of surveillance and collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies.
NDLEA Expands Nationwide Drug Awareness Campaign
Beyond arrests and seizures, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign across the country. Teams visited schools, worship centers, and communities to raise awareness about the dangers of drug use.
The agency also paid advocacy visits to notable leaders including former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Emir of Borgu, and the Shehu of Borno, among others.
NDLEA Commends Officers, Reaffirms Commitment
The NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), commended officers across Rivers, Delta, Lagos, Kogi, Taraba, Gombe, and Kano States for their dedication and resilience.
He urged them to sustain the momentum in both drug law enforcement and community education, emphasizing that the agency remains committed to a balanced approach — combining intelligence-driven operations with strong advocacy.
According to Mediaplusng.com, the latest arrests and seizures demonstrate NDLEA’s unwavering determination to dismantle drug trafficking networks and protect Nigeria’s youth from substance abuse.
