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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested and repatriated a wanted drug kingpin, Festus Ibewuike, alias Chidibest Ibewuike, who had been on the run for more than two years over his alleged involvement in the largest single consignment of heroin ever intercepted in Nigeria.
Ibewuike, 52, was arrested at the airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic, on September 2, 2026, following credible intelligence, and handed over to NDLEA operatives two days later in a joint operation involving the Nigerian and Beninese bureaux of the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL).
He was subsequently repatriated to Nigeria to face trial.
According to the NDLEA, Ibewuike had been declared wanted and charged in absentia after operatives of the agency intercepted 49.70kg of heroin concealed inside cartons of metal-cutting machines at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, in February 2024.
The interception followed a 12-day sting operation mounted by NDLEA operatives.
Following the seizure, Ibewuike allegedly fled Nigeria for Mozambique, where he reportedly operated a hotel as a front while continuing his movements in and out of Nigeria through the neighbouring Benin Republic in an attempt to evade arrest.
His wife, Confidence Ibewuike, was among suspects arrested in connection with the original drug bust. She was accused of receiving drug parcels, allegedly coded “ND”, on behalf of her husband.
The case has already resulted in the conviction of three suspects – Adinnu Chinedu, Osita Obinna and Uzochukwu Frankline – who were tried and sentenced by the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Three other suspects, including Ibewuike’s wife, are still standing trial, while three others, including Ibewuike, were charged in absentia.
Following his arrest and handover to the NDLEA, Ibewuike confirmed his identity and admitted that he had changed his name.
He was taken to the agency’s Central Exhibit Store in Ikoyi, Lagos, on September 5, where he formally identified the 49.70kg heroin seized in the 2024 operation.
Further investigations have also linked the suspect to another drug trafficking case dating back to 2013, involving the seizure of 40.255kg of methamphetamine.
The NDLEA said a co-suspect in the earlier case was eventually convicted in 2023.
Reacting to the arrest, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd), described the development as a major breakthrough in the agency’s efforts to track down wanted drug traffickers and dismantle their networks.
Marwa warned fugitives involved in illicit drug activities that they could not evade justice indefinitely, regardless of how long they remained on the run or how far they travelled.
He said the arrest demonstrated the determination of Nigerian law enforcement agencies to pursue drug suspects beyond the country’s borders.
The NDLEA chairman also commended the Nigerian and Beninese bureaux of INTERPOL for their cooperation and the smooth handover of the suspect, which he said facilitated his return to Nigeria to face the law.
