Three years after launching a manhunt, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) says it has apprehended a notorious drug kingpin, 36-year-old Sunday Ibigide, in Asaba, Delta State.
Ibigide was apprehended while attempting to transport 250 blocks of skunk, weighing 138 kilogrammes, using his distribution bus.
According to a statement from NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, given to Persecondnews, the kingpin came under the spotlight on March 19, 2022, in connection with the seizure of 24.137kg of the same psychoactive substance and 10g of molly, but subsequently went underground.
The statement said: “However, following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives in Delta state were able to arrest him along with one of his aides Clement Osuya, 27, while they were trying to move the 250 parcels of skunk for distribution on Sunday, August 10, 2025.
“In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives, supported by the military and vigilantes, arrested at least six suspects on Thursday, August 14, and Friday, August 15. The operation involved raiding three cannabis farms in Enugu Ezike, Enugu State, where a total of 37,500 kilogrammes of skunk was destroyed on 15 hectares of farmland.
“Those arrested include: Ugwuanyi Chinaso, 23; James Negedu, 26; Sopuruchukwu Obido, 22; Ebuka Onu, 30; Ukwueze Sunday, 42; and Oguche Friday; while 74.5kg of the illicit substance was recovered for the prosecution of the suspects.
“On Saturday, August 16, NDLEA officers on patrol along Nsukka Road, 9th Mile, Enugu, seized 20,700 pills of tramadol and cocodamol from a 53-year-old suspect, Emmanuel Ayogu. On the same day, two other suspects, 24-year-old Nsubechukwu Achidde and 41-year-old Osiaja Simple Frank, were arrested with 27.6 kilogrammes of skunk at the New Market in Enugu.
“In Lagos, a 52-year-old woman Muyibat Mumuni was arrested with her son Faruk Mumuni, 25, by NDLEA operatives at Ladega street, Mushin on Wednesday, August 13, for storing and distributing 298 blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 149kg. Another suspect Emmanuel Samuel was nabbed on Friday, August 15, in Ajah area of Lekki where 8.5kg Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis was recovered from their apartment.
“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 on Monday, August 11.”
NDLEA also stated: “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.
“A total of 11, 250kg skunk was destroyed on 4.5 hectares of farmland on Tuesday, August 12, when NDLEA operatives assisted by Sardauna Emirate Council and the Nigeria Forest Hunters Security Service raided the Tanmiya forest in Sardauna LGA, Taraba state.
“29, 840 capsules of tramadol were seized from a suspect Saleh Babangida, 20, at a check point in Wukari area of the state on Saturday, August 16.
“In Kaduna, 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 check point, Zaria and Tudun Wada area of the state.
“Two other suspects: Caroline David, 51, and Abdulhadi Umar, 30, were nabbed over the seizure of 111.1kg skunk intercepted along Zaria – Kano road.
“At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers state, a total of 875,000 bottles of codeine based syrup worth over N6.1 billion in street value and 3, 500,000 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 on Wednesday, August 13, and Thursday, August 14, at the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) of the Onne port.”
The statement added: “In Edo, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, August 13, recovered 24 bags of skunk weighing 432kg in a bush along Warake-Auchi road in Etsako West LGA, while 130kg of same substance was seized at a warehouse in Sobe, Owan West LGA the following day.
“A suspect Tahiru Madu Manga, 25, was nabbed by NDLEA officers along Zaria-Kano road, with 16kg skunk and another suspect Ibrahim Audu, 47, arrested with 76kg of the same psychoactive substance at Gadar Tamburawa along Zaria-Kano road, Kano state on Wednesday, August 13.
“No fewer than 4, 320 ampoules of ketamine injection were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at Gbaji checkpoint along Badagry-Lagos highway on Monday, August 11, with a suspect Akeem Adegun arrested.”
Similarly, the agency’s commands and formations nationwide continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities, targeting schools, places of worship, workplaces, and communities, among others, over the past week.
These include WADA advocacy visits to former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar in Minna, Niger state; the Emir of Borgu kingdom, Alhaji Muhammad Haliru Dantoro, Kitoro IV, in Borgu kingdom, Niger state ; the Emir of Lafia, retired Justice Sidi Bage Mohammed, in Lafia, Nasarawa state and the Shehu of Borno, Dr. Abubakar Umar Ibn Garbai Elkanemi, in Maiduguri, Borno state, among others.
The NDLEA Chairman/CEO, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of PHPC, Gombe, Kogi, Lagos, Edo, Kano, Delta, Taraba, and Seme Commands for the arrests, and seizures.
He also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
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