Justice has finally caught up with Lekan Jimoh, alias “Kanmo-kanmo,” proving that the evil mortals do indeed lives after them. NDLEA operatives successfully apprehended the long-wanted kingpin, ending a decade-long manhunt for the 2014 murder of three gallant officers. After 12 years on the run, Jimoh was arrested on Friday, January 16, 2026, in a clinical operation.
A statement released on Sunday January 18 by the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the development:
“Kanmo-Kanmo, notorious for evading arrest and mobilizing armed thugs against security agents, was tracked to his Owode hideout in Ogun State on Friday, January 16, 2026. The successful operation was carried out by the Agency’s tactical teams following credible intelligence.”
The statement further noted that during the clinical operation, the suspect was found in ”possession of 69 kilograms of “skunk,” a potent strain of cannabis. This arrest marks a significant breakthrough in the Agency’s commitment to ensuring no fugitive remains beyond the reach of the law.
Lekan Jimoh’s criminal record is defined by extreme violence. On June 15, 2014, he orchestrated a barbaric mob attack against NDLEA officers attempting to arrest him at his enclave. The assault led to the cold-blooded murder of three officers, including Rabiu Usman Kazaure, who were killed by armed thugs mobilized by Jimoh. While the suspect escaped that day, the Agency remained resolute in its pursuit of justice for the fallen heroes.
” In another encounter with Jimoh on 12th August 2023, when NDLEA operatives stormed his residence in Ado-Odo town, Ogun state, he managed to escape while operatives succeeded in recovering 139 sacks of skunk with a total weight of 1,922 kilograms. Following assets forfeiture proceedings instituted in court by the Agency, the house in Ado-Odo, which served as a warehouse for his illicit drug trade, has since been finally forfeited to the Federal Government.”
Meanwhile, in a relentless nationwide crackdown on illicit drug operators and consumers, NDLEA operatives in Edo State raided the Arokpa forest in Uzebba, Owan West LGA, on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. The operation led to the arrest of another drug lord, 53-year-old Isihor Edika, and the seizure of 320kg of skunk and cannabis seeds, [1][2].
The NDLEA’s crackdown on drug syndicates moved to Abuja, where operatives intercepted a kitchen-based drug laboratory. On Friday, January 16, 44-year-old Yinka Agboola was arrested in the Kaura district after being tracked for selling illicit substances online; 2.2kg of skunk and liters of homemade cannabis oil were recovered. This followed the January 13 arrest of Tordue Pius Richard (30) at Abacha Estate, who was found in possession of cocaine and skunk.
In a synchronized crackdown across Lagos, Enugu, and Delta States, the NDLEA intercepted massive quantities of narcotics. ” On Friday, January 16, 2026, operatives seized 118.1kg of skunk from Dauda Kareem and Saheed Obisesan in the Fadeyi area of Lagos, while another 116kg was recovered from a warehouse in Enugu’s New Market area the same day. Additionally, on January 15, Zaharadeen Yahaya (25) and Sanusi Maman (23) were intercepted on the Onitsha-Asaba Expressway conveying a massive haul of 410,800 tramadol pills, 84.2 liters of codeine, and thousands of other synthetic opioids.”
NDLEA’s ‘Eagle Eye’ Focus Leads to Massive Drug Busts in Oyo, Kwara, and Apapa Port, Lagos.
The Agency’s relentless searchlight has zeroed in on major trafficking hubs, yielding significant seizures recently. ”In Oyo State, 33-year-old Adetunji Ahmed Abayomi was apprehended on Thursday, January 15, in Moniya, Ibadan, with 321 liters of skuchies and 2.5kg of Colorado. On the same day, 28-year-old Rasheed Ajao was caught in Odo-Ona with a combined 9.696kg of Scottish Loud, skunk, and Colorado. Additionally, a raid in Agbeni on Saturday, January 17, uncovered 52,430 pills of Tramadol and Bromazepam at the store of Orji Edwin, who remains at large.
”The crackdown extended to Kwara State, where operatives raided a residence in Gamo, Ilorin, on Tuesday, January 13, seizing 42 bags of skunk weighing 387.40kg. Meanwhile, at the Apapa Port in Lagos, a joint examination on Friday, January 16, led to the discovery of 157,519 bottles of codeine syrup hidden in a container.”
Similarly, it was like a drama in Jigawa State where an ”Ex-Convict Nabbed After Rooftop Chase
In Jigawa State, NDLEA operatives apprehended 26-year-old ex-convict Gaddafi Ammani and his accomplice, Ahmed Sani (32), at Nassarawa GRA, Ringim LGA, on Saturday, January 17, 2026. The duo was caught with various quantities of skunk and Exol-5 pills. In a desperate bid to evade capture, Ammani attempted to escape by scaling the roofs of several houses. Armed with a machete, he threatened the officers and injured one operative before being successfully subdued and taken into custody.”
NDLEA Sustains Nationwide War Against Drug Abuse ‘WADA’ Crusade Across Nigeria
Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA continued its proactive War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization initiative over the past week. Officers from various commands held enlightenment lectures at key institutions, including:
Kano: Students and staff of Umar Bin Khathab Islamiyyah School, Kurna.
Lagos: Tumbey College, Kajola Maya, Ikorodu.
Benue: Anglican Secondary School, Makurdi.
Katsina & Niger: High-level engagements with the Katsina Emirate and residents of the Maitumbi community in Minna.”
NDLEA Chairman /CEO Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the Ogun, Lagos, and FCT commands—among others—for their latest operational successes. He called on all officers to remain steadfast in their balanced approach to ridding Nigeria of illicit drugs.
Marwa hailed the arrest of Kanmo-Kanmo as a triumph of justice and a testament to the Agency’s long memory. He noted that the capture serves as an unambiguous warning to all drug barons and fugitives: ‘You may run, and you may hide for a season, but the long arm of the law will eventually find you.
“The arrest of Lekan Jimoh is particularly significant because it closes a painful chapter that began on June 15, 2014. For twelve years, this individual lived with the blood of our gallant officers—Rabiu Usman Kazaure and two others—on his hands. He mistakenly thought that time had erased his crimes. Today, we have proven that the NDLEA does not forget its own. We do not forget the sacrifices of those who laid down their lives in the service of our fatherland. This arrest is for the families of those three officers who have waited 12 years for justice”,
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) specifically used this tribute to honor three officers, including Rabiu Usman Kazaure, who were killed by a drug kingpin in June 2014.
