NDLEA Arrests Fugitive Kingpin Over 49.70kg Heroin Seizure

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested and repatriated suspected drug kingpin Festus Ibewuike, also known as Chidibest Ibewuike, after more than two years on the run over a 49.70-kilogramme heroin seizure in Lagos.

Ibewuike was one of three suspects declared wanted and charged in absentia after NDLEA operatives intercepted the heroin shipment at the Import Shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, in February 2024.

The agency said the heroin, concealed in cartons of metal-cutting machines, was the single largest heroin consignment ever recorded at the airport.

The operation also led to the arrest of key members of the syndicate, including Ibewuike’s wife, Confidence Ndidiamaka Ibewuike, who allegedly received drug-laden parcels marked with the code “ND” on his behalf.

The NDLEA said 107 bank accounts were frozen, and properties linked to the cartel forfeited.

After fleeing Nigeria, Ibewuike reportedly relocated to Mozambique, where he operated a hotel business as a front and travelled through neighbouring Benin Republic to evade arrest.

His run ended on September 2, 2026, when actionable intelligence led to his arrest at the airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic.

The NDLEA said it worked with INTERPOL in Nigeria and Benin Republic to facilitate his handover to agency operatives who arrived in Cotonou on September 4. He was subsequently brought back to Nigeria to face the allegations against him.

During preliminary interviews, the 52-year-old confirmed his identity and said he had changed his name from Chidibest Ibewuike to Festus Ibewuike.

The agency said he later identified the heroin parcels bearing the “ND” code at its Central Exhibit Store in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Reacting to the arrest, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described it as a major breakthrough in the agency’s pursuit of fleeing drug kingpins.

“This arrest is a major breakthrough in our resolve to track down and bring to justice every drug baron who thinks that fleeing Nigeria’s shores puts them beyond the reach of the law,” Marwa said.

Marwa warned suspects still at large that the agency would continue its pursuit until they are brought to justice.

He also commended the Nigerian and Beninese INTERPOL National Central Bureaus for the cooperation that facilitated the transfer of custody.