NDLEA arrests wanted drug kingpin after 13 years in hiding
NDLEA Arrests Notorious Drug Kingpin After 13 Years on the Run
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended Reginald Peter Chidiebere, a notorious drug kingpin, after he evaded capture for 13 years. This arrest follows the seizure of significant quantities of cocaine and heroin linked to him at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
According to an NDLEA statement, Chidiebere was taken into custody after operatives discovered drug shipments associated with his name. The agency noted that he had been identified as a key figure linked to the importation of 49.7 kilograms of heroin from South Africa, which was intercepted in February 2024.
Chidiebere was initially arrested in 2013 for drug trafficking but failed to appear in court after being granted bail. He subsequently went underground, remaining elusive for years. The NDLEA reported that his operations continued until February 2024, when a follow-up operation at his hotel in Lagos led to the discovery of an additional 2.2 kilograms of heroin.
In light of these developments, the NDLEA secured the interim forfeiture of Chidiebere’s hotel and froze his bank accounts in 2024. Ultimately, he surrendered to authorities on February 13, 2026, unable to sustain himself while in hiding. He now faces charges related to his previous bail jump as well as new indictments concerning the recent heroin shipments.
In addition to Chidiebere’s arrest, the NDLEA carried out several operations resulting in notable drug seizures. On February 25, 2026, agents dismantled a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Imo State, recovering 18.4 kilograms of methamphetamine and various precursor chemicals.
Subsequent operations included the interception of Hadiza Musa, a Togolese woman, who attempted to smuggle 5,000 pills of tramadol through the Seme Border in Lagos. On the same day, authorities recovered 1,040 kilograms of cannabis from an uncompleted building in Lagos.
In Kano State, officers arrested Ashiru Bala, 45, with 1,499 bottles of codeine syrup, while Yahaya Usaini, 21, was apprehended in Katsina State with 87.4 kilograms of cannabis.
Additionally, the NDLEA reported the seizure of over 630,000 pills of opioids in Taraba State and the recovery of 499.2 kilograms of cannabis in Abuja.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended the agency’s officers for their efforts in balancing drug supply reduction with demand reduction initiatives.
