NDLEA Nabs Fugitive Drug Kingpin After 13 Years On The Run, Busts Meth Lab And Seizes Massive Drug Haul Nationwide

After 13 years in hiding, a notorious drug kingpin, Reginald Peter Chidiebere, has finally been apprehended by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), marking a major breakthrough in the agency’s sustained crackdown on high-profile drug traffickers.

Chidiebere, who was first arrested in 2013 for cocaine trafficking and later arraigned before Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court, Lagos, jumped bail and disappeared shortly after being granted bail. He remained at large for over a decade.

His name resurfaced prominently in February 2024 as one of the masterminds behind the importation of 49.70 kilograms of heroin from South Africa, intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos. A follow-up raid on 19 February 2024 at his Golden Platinum Hotel & Suites in Okota, Lagos, led to the recovery of an additional 2.20 kilograms of heroin from a guest, Igbuanugo Ebuka ThankGod. The agency subsequently secured an interim forfeiture order on the hotel and froze bank accounts linked to him.

With mounting pressure and financial constraints closing in, Chidiebere surrendered to the agency on 13 February 2026. He is now in custody to face both his pending 2013 charges and fresh charges stemming from the 2024 heroin seizures.

Meth Lab Dismantled in Imo

In a related development, NDLEA operatives uncovered and dismantled a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Isiozi Obiato, Umuaka, Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State on Wednesday, 25 February 2026. A total of 18.4 kilograms of methamphetamine were recovered alongside large quantities of precursor chemicals and production equipment.

Nationwide Interdictions Yield Massive Seizures

At the Seme border in the Badagry area of Lagos, NDLEA officers intercepted a Togolese woman, Hadiza Musa, on Friday, 27 February, with 5,000 tramadol pills concealed in her luggage.

In a separate operation in Akodo village, Seaside Eleko, Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos, operatives recovered 1,040 kilograms of skunk from an uncompleted building on Wednesday, 25 February.

In Kano State, a 45-year-old suspect, Ashiru Bala, was arrested at Lambu, Tafa LGA, with 1,499 bottles of codeine syrup concealed in his Volkswagen Golf car. Meanwhile, in Katsina State, 21-year-old Yahaya Usaini was apprehended along the Zaria–Dutsinma road while transporting 87.4 kilograms of skunk in a Toyota Hiace bus.

In Osun State, NDLEA operatives arrested Adewale Fatunmise, 40, and Adebisi Korede, 25, in connection with the seizure of 18.085 kilograms of skunk in the Aregbe area of Osogbo.

Taraba State recorded one of the largest opioid interceptions of the week, with 637,600 pills of tramadol, diazepam and exol-5 recovered from a Mercedes-Benz vehicle along the Bali–Suntai road en route to Baruwa in Gashaka LGA. Another operation at Lankaviri Yorro led to the arrest of Musa Usman, 27, and the seizure of 126.022 kilograms of skunk.

In the FCT, Abuja, 499.2 kilograms of skunk were recovered at the Dei-Dei area, while in Borno State, a suspect, Bulama Modu, 24, was intercepted along the Bama–Konduga road with 7,000 tramadol capsules.

WADA Campaign Sustained

The agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign also continued nationwide, with sensitisation lectures held in secondary schools across Niger, Oyo, Jigawa, Cross River and Kano States as part of efforts to balance drug supply reduction with demand reduction.

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 (Retd), praised their resilience and professionalism.

Reacting to Chidiebere’s arrest after 13 years on the run, Marwa reiterated the agency’s resolve to dismantle criminal networks and ensure that offenders face justice.

“I commend our officers and men for their persistence and professionalism in this operation,” he said, underscoring the agency’s unwavering commitment to winning the war against illicit drugs.