The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a notorious drug kingpin, 36-year-old Sunday Ibigide, in Asaba, Delta State, following a three-year manhunt for his involvement in drug trafficking offences.

According to a statement released on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media & Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, Ibigide was arrested while attempting to transport 250 blocks of skunk weighing 138 kilograms with his distribution bus.

The suspect had been under surveillance since March 19, 2022, following the seizure of 24.137kg of the same psychoactive substance and 10 grams of molly. After going underground, NDLEA operatives in Delta State, acting on credible intelligence, finally captured him along with one of his aides, 27-year-old Clement Osuya, on Sunday, August 10, 2025.

Major Cannabis Farm Raids in Enugu

In a related development, NDLEA operatives, supported by military personnel and vigilantes, raided three cannabis farms in Enugu Ezike, Enugu State, on Thursday, August 14, and Friday, August 15. The operation resulted in the destruction of 37,500kg of skunk across 15 hectares of farmland.

Six suspects were arrested during the raid: Ugwuanyi Chinaso (23), James Negedu (26), Sopuruchukwu Obido (22), Ebuka Onu (30), Ukwueze Sunday (42), and Oguche Friday. Authorities recovered 74.5kg of the illicit substance for prosecution purposes.

Additional operations in Enugu led to the seizure of 20,700 pills of tramadol and cocodamol from 53-year-old Emmanuel Ayogu during a patrol along Nsukka Road, 9th Mile, on Saturday, August 16. Two other suspects, Nsubechukwu Achidde (24) and Osiaja Simple Frank (41), were apprehended with 27.6kg of skunk at the New Market, Enugu, on the same day.

Family Drug Operation Busted in Lagos

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested 52-year-old Muyibat Mumuni along with her son, 25-year-old Faruk Mumuni, at Ladega Street, Mushin, on Wednesday, August 13. The pair were caught storing and distributing 298 blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 149kg.

Another suspect, Emmanuel Samuel, was nabbed on Friday, August 15, in the Ajah area of Lekki, where 8.5kg of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis, was recovered from his apartment.

N7.8 Billion Opioid Seizure in Rivers

In a significant operation at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State, NDLEA operatives intercepted 875,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup valued at over N6.1 billion and 3,500,000 pills of trodol benzhexol worth N1.7 billion. The seizures were made during joint examinations 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 drugs were discovered in five containers that had been placed under NDLEA intelligence tracking and watch-list.

Nationwide Operations Yield Results

In Gombe State, 128,000 capsules of tramadol were recovered from 32-year-old Sani Mohammed, who was arrested at Jauro Jatau on Monday, August 11. Additionally, 337,800 capsules of the same pharmaceutical opioid were seized from 47-year-old Sulaiman Oyedokun, a commercial bus driver traveling from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Kotangora, Niger State, along the Okene-Lokoja Highway in Kogi State.

NDLEA operatives in Taraba State destroyed 11,250kg of skunk on 4.5 hectares of farmland in the Tanmiya Forest, Sardauna LGA, on Tuesday, August 12. The operation was conducted with assistance from the Sardauna Emirate Council and the Nigeria Forest Hunters Security Service. In a separate incident, 29,840 capsules of tramadol were seized from 20-year-old Saleh Babangida at a checkpoint in the Wukari area 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 checkpoint, Zaria, and Tudun Wada area. Two additional suspects, Caroline David (51) and Abdulhadi Umar (30), were apprehended over the seizure of 111.1kg of skunk intercepted along the Zaria-Kano Road.

Operations in Edo State on Wednesday, August 13, led to the recovery of 24 bags of skunk weighing 432kg in a bush along Warake-Auchi Road in Etsako West LGA, while 130kg of the same substance was seized at a warehouse in Sobe, Owan West LGA, the following day.

In Kano State, 25-year-old Tahiru Madu Manga was arrested along the Zaria-Kano Road with 16kg of skunk, and 47-year-old Ibrahim Audu was apprehended with 76kg of the same psychoactive substance at Gadar Tamburawa along the Zaria-Kano Road on Wednesday, August 13.

NDLEA operatives also intercepted 4,320 ampoules of ketamine injection at Gbaji checkpoint along the Badagry-Lagos Highway on Monday, August 11, arresting a suspect identified as Akeem Adegun.

Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, commended the officers and men of PHPC, Gombe, Kogi, Lagos, Edo, Kano, Delta, Taraba, and Seme Commands for the arrests and seizures. He encouraged them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the agency's drug control efforts.

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