Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a long-wanted drug kingpin, Lekan Jimoh, popularly known as Kanmo-kanmo, bringing to an end a 12-year manhunt over his alleged involvement in the killing of three NDLEA officers in 2014.
The arrest was disclosed in a press release issued by the NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, on Sunday, January 18, 2026, and signed by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
Jimoh was tracked to his hideout in Owode town, Ogun State, on Friday, January 16, following what the agency described as credible intelligence. NDLEA tactical teams carried out what they termed a clinical operation, during which the suspect was arrested with 69 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, recovered from him.
According to the agency, Kanmo-kanmo had built a reputation for drug trafficking, evading arrest and mobilising armed thugs against law enforcement officers. His name became prominent on June 15, 2014, when he allegedly orchestrated a violent mob attack on NDLEA officers who attempted to arrest him at his enclave. Three officers, including Rabiu Usman Kazaure and two others, were killed during the attack, while Jimoh escaped and went into hiding.
NDLEA recalled that the suspect narrowly evaded arrest again on August 12, 2023, when operatives raided his residence in Ado-Odo, Ogun State. Although he escaped on that occasion, officers recovered 139 sacks of skunk weighing 1,922 kilograms. The house, which served as a warehouse for illicit drugs, was later forfeited to the Federal Government following court proceedings.
Reacting to the arrest, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described it as a triumph of justice and a clear signal to fugitives.
“You may run, and you may hide for a season, but the long arm of the law will eventually find you,” Marwa said.
He added that the arrest carried deep significance for the agency and the families of the slain officers. “The arrest of Lekan Jimoh is particularly significant because it closes a painful chapter that began on June 15, 2014. For twelve years, this individual lived with the blood of our gallant officers, Rabiu Usman Kazaure and two others, on his hands. He mistakenly thought that time had erased his crimes. Today, we have proven that the NDLEA does not forget its own,” he stated.
Marwa noted that the arrest was also for the families of the officers who had waited more than a decade for justice, stressing that the agency remained committed to honouring the sacrifices of its fallen personnel.
Beyond the arrest of Kanmo-kanmo, the NDLEA recorded multiple seizures and arrests across several states during the week. In Edo State, operatives raided the Arokpa forest in Uzebba town, Owan West Local Government Area, arresting a 53-year-old suspect, Isihor Edika, with 320 kilograms of skunk and cannabis seeds.
In the Federal Capital Territory, a 44-year-old woman, Yinka Agboola, was arrested in the Kaura district for allegedly producing and selling cannabis oil online. Officers recovered 2.2 kilograms of skunk and litres of cannabis oil from her residence. Another suspect, Tordue Pius Richard, was arrested in Abuja with cocaine and skunk.
In Lagos, NDLEA seized 118.1 kilograms of skunk from two suspects at Fadeyi in Mushin, while 157,519 bottles of codeine syrup were discovered at the Apapa port during a joint examination with Customs and other security agencies. Enugu State also recorded a seizure of 116 kilograms of skunk from a warehouse at the New Market area.
Other arrests and seizures were made in Delta, Oyo, Kwara, Jigawa and other states, involving tramadol, codeine syrup, cannabis and other illicit substances.
Marwa commended officers of the Ogun, Lagos, Edo, Delta, Oyo, FCT, Enugu and Kwara commands for their efforts and urged them to sustain the current tempo of the agency’s balanced approach to drug control.
He also noted that NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation activities nationwide, with enlightenment programmes held in schools, worship centres and communities as part of efforts to curb drug abuse and trafficking across the country.
