Fugitive Drug Kingpin Captured 12 Years After Murder of Three NDLEA Officers
By Wellington Jopelo
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a long-wanted drug kingpin, Lekan Jimoh, popularly known as “Kanmo-Kanmo,” 12 years after he allegedly masterminded the killing of three NDLEA officers. He was arrested on Friday, January 16, 2026, in Owode town, Ogun State, after intelligence-led operations by the agency’s tactical teams.
During a search of his hideout, officers recovered 69 kilograms of skunk, a strong strain of cannabis. Jimoh had been on the NDLEA wanted list since 2014, following a deadly attack on officers who attempted to arrest him at his base in Ogun State.
Confirming the arrest, the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said Jimoh had evaded arrest for years after allegedly mobilising armed thugs to attack NDLEA operatives, leading to the death of three officers. He said the arrest shows that fugitives may run, but justice will always catch up with them.
Babafemi said, “Following his involvement in the brutal killing of three NDLEA officers, Kanmo-Kanmo, who is notorious for drug trafficking, evading arrest and mobilising armed thugs against security agents, was on Friday, 16th January, tracked to his hideout in Owode town, Ogun State by tactical teams of the agency following credible intelligence. During the clinical operation, the suspect was found in possession of 69 kilograms of skunk.”
He added that Jimoh’s violent history dates back to June 15, 2014, when NDLEA officers tried to arrest him at his enclave. According to him, the suspect allegedly organised a mob attack that led to the killing of three officers, including Rabiu Usman Kazaure, while he escaped.
Babafemi disclosed that NDLEA operatives had earlier raided Jimoh’s residence in Ado-Odo, Ogun State, on August 12, 2023, where 139 sacks of skunk weighing 1,922 kilograms were recovered. Jimoh again escaped at the time, but the property, used as a drug warehouse, was later seized by the Federal Government after court proceedings.
In other operations across the country, NDLEA officers recovered 116 kilograms of skunk from a warehouse at the New Market area of Enugu, Enugu State, on the same day.
Along the Onitsha–Asaba Expressway in Delta State, two suspects, Zaharadeen Yahaya, 25, and Sanusi Maman, 23, were arrested on Thursday, January 15, while transporting large quantities of illicit drugs, including 410,800 pills of tramadol, 84.2 litres of codeine syrup, 82,250 tablets of diazepam, 900 tablets of swinol and 65 pills of Molly.
In Oyo State, Adetunji Ahmed Abayomi, 33, was arrested on Thursday, January 15, at Moniya, Ibadan, with 321 litres of skuchies and 2.5 kilograms of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis strain. On the same day, Rasheed Ajao, 28, was arrested at Odo-Ona, Ibadan, with various cannabis products weighing 9.696 kilograms. Another raid at the Agbeni area of Ibadan on Saturday, January 17, led to the recovery of 52,430 pills of tramadol and bromazepam from a store linked to a suspect now on the run.
In Kwara State, NDLEA officers raided a residence in the Gamo area of Ilorin on Tuesday, January 13, and seized 42 bags of skunk weighing 387.40 kilograms.
In Jigawa State, an ex-convict, Gaddafi Ammani, 26, and his accomplice, Ahmed Sani, 32, were arrested on Saturday, January 17, at Nassarawa GRA in Ringim Local Government Area, with quantities of skunk and exol-5 pills. Babafemi said Ammani tried to escape during the operation and injured one of the officers.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA praised officers involved in the nationwide operations, describing the arrest of Kanmo-Kanmo as a major victory for justice. He said, “You may run, and you may hide for a season, but the long arm of the law will eventually find you.”