By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a notorious drug kingpin, Reginald Peter Chidiebere, who had been on the run for 13 years over cocaine and heroin trafficking.
The operatives also dismantled a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Imo State and intercepted major drug consignments across the country.
Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, disclosed on Sunday in a statement that Chidiebere was taken into custody on 13 February, 2026 after surrendering to NDLEA following years of evading justice.
Babafemi said Chidiebere was first arrested in 2013 over a cocaine shipment and arraigned before Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court, Lagos, in charge number FHC/L/187c/2923.
He, however, jumped bail the same year and went into hiding.
He stated that the suspect resurfaced in February 2024 as one of the masterminds behind the importation of 49.70 kilograms of heroin from South Africa, which was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja.
Babafemi added that a follow-up operation on 19 February, 2024 at his Golden Platinum Hotel & Suites, located at No. 16/18 Reginald Peter Chidiebere Street, Hope Estate, Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos, led to the recovery of an additional 2.20 kilograms of heroin from one of his guests, Igbuanugo Ebuka ThankGod.
“As a result of the 2024 seizures, the agency secured the interim forfeiture of his hotel and blocked all bank accounts traced to him. With his criminal network significantly disrupted, Chidiebere could no longer sustain himself in hiding and eventually surrendered to face his pending charges and fresh ones,” Babafemi said.
In a related development, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, 25 February, 2026, dismantled a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory at Isiozi Obiato, Umuaka, in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State.
He noted that 18.4 kilograms of methamphetamine were recovered, alongside large quantities of precursor chemicals and production equipment.City & Local Guides
At the Seme border in Badagry, Lagos, Babafemi disclosed that operatives intercepted a Togolese woman, Hadiza Musa, on Friday, 27 February, at the departure tarmac with 5,000 pills of tramadol concealed in her luggage.
He further stated that 1,040 kilograms of skunk were recovered from an uncompleted building at Akodo village, Seaside Eleko, in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos on Wednesday, 25 February.
In Kano State, Babafemi said a 45-year-old suspect, Ashiru Bala, was arrested at Lambu, Tafa LGA, with 1,499 bottles of codeine syrup concealed in a Volkswagen Golf car marked CA 911 ABC.
Similarly, he noted that Yahaya Usaini, 21, was apprehended on Friday, 27 February, along the Zaria-Dutsinma road in Katsina State while transporting 87.4 kilograms of skunk in a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number KUJ 544 RL.
Babafemi also revealed that in Osun State, two suspects, Adewale Fatunmise, 40, and Adebisi Korede, 25 were arrested on Monday, 23 February, in connection with the seizure of 18.085 kilograms of skunk at Aregbe area of Osogbo.
He said no fewer than 637,600 pills of opioids, including tramadol, diazepam and exol-5, were intercepted on Thursday, 26 February, along the Bali–Suntai road in Taraba State while being conveyed in a Mercedes-Benz vehicle marked KWL-607DC to Baruwa in Gashaka LGA.
Babafemi added that a similar operation at Lankaviri Yorro area of the state led to the arrest of Musa Usman, 27, and the seizure of 126.022 kilograms of skunk.
In the Federal Capital Territory, he noted that 499.2 kilograms of skunk were recovered at the Dei-Dei area on Wednesday, 25 February, while in Borno State, a 24-year-old suspect, Bulama Modu, was intercepted along the Bama–Konduga road with 7,000 capsules of tramadol.
Beyond enforcement, Babafemi said the agency sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy campaigns nationwide, with sensitisation lectures held at Government Girls Science Secondary School, Tungan Magajiya in Niger State; Federal Government College, Odo Oru, Ogbomoso in Oyo State; Government Day Senior Secondary School, Fagam in Jigawa State; Government Science College, Esuk Ekpoeyo in Cross River; and Government Junior Secondary School, Rumfa College in Kano State, among others.
He said the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended officers and men of the MMIA, Seme, Lagos, Imo, Borno, Kano, Katsina, Taraba,l Osun and FCT Commands for the arrests and seizures recorded in the past week.City & Local Guides
Babafemi noted that Marwa equally praised personnel across all commands for maintaining a fair balance between drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
Reacting to the arrest of Chidiebere after 13 years on the run, Marwa said the agency remains resolute in dismantling criminal networks and bringing offenders to justice.
O“I commend our officers and men for their persistence and professionalism in this operation,” Marwa was quoted as saying.