NDLEA Arrests Fugitive Drug Kingpin Over 49.7kg Heroin Seizure

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested and repatriated a suspected drug kingpin who had been wanted in connection with the seizure of 49.7kg of heroin in Lagos. The suspect, identified as 52-year-old Festus Ibewuike, was reportedly arrested in Cotonou, Benin Republic, following an international effort to locate him.

The case dates back to 2024, when NDLEA operatives intercepted the heroin consignment at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. Investigators subsequently linked the shipment to a wider alleged trafficking network and began efforts to locate individuals suspected of being involved in the operation.

According to reports, Ibewuike had remained outside Nigeria for about two years while attempting to avoid arrest. His eventual detention in Benin Republic was followed by cooperation between authorities in the two countries, allowing Nigerian officials to bring him back to face the ongoing investigation.

The arrest represents another development in the NDLEA’s efforts to pursue suspects allegedly involved in major drug-trafficking networks beyond Nigeria’s borders. The agency has increasingly relied on cooperation with international law-enforcement bodies to track suspects who leave the country after being linked to investigations.

NDLEA officials said the investigation into the case remains ongoing as authorities work to establish the full extent of the suspect’s alleged involvement and identify any other individuals connected to the network. The suspect is expected to face the appropriate legal process in Nigeria following his repatriation.